By Austin Ogwuda
WITHOUT playing the ostrich, the integrity of the Delta State Assembly and that of the Executive arm is presently at stake following the alleged intellectual theft surrounding an Executive Bill before the House.
The purported crime was exposed following the suspension of member of the Assembly representing Ughelli North 1 constituency, Hon (Barr) Matthew Omonade who was accused of “gross misconduct”.
Credible source, as a follow up to the story told The Townhall this morning that the said Bill which overnight turned into Executive Bill was originally sponsored by Omonade as private member bill co-sponsored with some Members in the House.
According to the source, “The Townhall, I can tell you, the truth is that sometime ago, Omonade prepared this very Bill and availed the Speaker of the House with a copy.
The funny thing was that the Speaker told him after going through that this can’t be from you (Omonade) because it is very technical but he repeatedly told the Speaker that he took time to develop it”.
The source further told me that “this ugly development has raised some questions because the Attorney General who is the chief Law officer which office parades qualified legal drafters should also share from the blame if the House is insisting it is an Executive Bill.
“The question of intellectual theft allegation if proven is a serious one. What I can tell you for now is the confusion why the members who co- sponsored the bill with Omonade, 19 of them are keeping quiet as Omonade is facing fire?”, said the source.
Recall that another credible inside source had said the same story saying ” Omonade prepared a bill on the generation and distribution of electricity in Delta State and forwarded a copy to the Speaker, Emomotimi Guwor, to be listed for reading last December but the Speaker refused to enlist the bill.
“And surprisingly, the bill came to the floor of the House as an executive bill and copied word for word with all the mistakes duplicated in it.
“The young man had to protest that the bill he gave to the Speaker which he refused to list could not be turned into an Executive Bill without giving him the credit he deserved. He then moved that the bill be withdrawn.
“But rather than acknowledge the young man, his action was seen as a slap on the face of the Speaker and the House so he was suspended for 14 days with the constitution of a five-man panel to look into the matter.
“It’s a simple matter that would have been resolved amicably but because of pride, the Speaker refused to do the needful and preferred suspension”.
Deltans are watching!