- Embattled lawmaker apologises ‘under duress’
Fresh facts have emerged as to why the member, representing Ughelli North I Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly (DSHA), Hon. Matthew Omonade, was suspended during Tuesday, May 14, 2024, plenary.
Contrary to the reason adduced by the House, citing “gross misconduct,” investigation has revealed that Mr Omonade, a Lawyer and Chairman of the House Committee on Public Petitions, was sanctioned for protesting alleged “plagarisation” of his Bill on generation and distribution of electricity in Delta State.
He was suspended for 14 days, with the constitution of a five-man panel to look into the matter, and submit its report in one week.
However, in dramatic fashion, Hon Omonade has reportedly “apologised under duress” to the House of Assembly over his alleged “act of gross misconduct.”
The lawmaker, according to a reliable source, has back-tracked under duress, and “tendered an apology,” which has not been made public.
“As we speak, he (Omonade) has apologised since nobody was standing by him, as he foresees that continuing in the fight might consume him since the Executive is involved,” the source told The Townhall at the weekend.
It was also gathered that some members of the House, who co-sponsored the bill, but “have been cowed,” have allegedly gone underground, “with tongues tied, having no liver to back Omonade.”
The Townhall, quoting SaharaReporters, said the suspended lawmaker “was punished over a bill he had sponsored but was not listed by the Speaker, and later presented as an ‘Executive Bill’ without his consent, which he viewed as an intellectual theft.”
Inside sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that the APC lawmaker was suspended following his protest against the Speaker, Emomotimi Guwor, and the House for “stealing his bill,” and changing it to an executive bill without acknowledgement.
One of the sources said: “Barrister Matthew Omonade sponsored a bill about the generation and distribution of electricity in Delta State, and obliged the Speaker a copy for listing on the Order Paper, which the Speaker failed to do.
“All of a sudden, that same bill came to the floor of the House as an executive bill, without his name on it and he protested against it. This was why he was suspended. But the House will not open up, rather it said he (Omonade) was suspended for ‘gross misconduct.'”
Another source was quoted, saying, “Omonade prepared a bill on 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 (of the lawmaker).
“So, it should be the suspended member who should be angry with the House, rather than the other way round based on his (Omonade’s) claim that his bill was plagiarised.”
Asked to confirm the latest development about the suspension of Mr Omonade, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Speaker, Comrade Nkem Nwaeke, told The Townhall thus:
“An adhoc committee has been set up to investigate the matter. It will be prejudicial to comment on it. The committee was given one week to submit its report. So, just exercise patience till next (this) week.”
Meanwhile, fresh facts have revealed that the bill in question is a national one that needed to be domesticated at the state level, and “this young man (Omonade), who actually came to the House well-prepared, carried out extensive research on the bill, and after working on it, passed a copy to Mr Speaker, who subsequently forwarded same to the Governor,” another inside source said.
“The funny and ridiculous aspect of it was that it (bill) returned to the House as it was worked upon by Omonade, even with all the errors; that is the genesis of the matter. And when he raised eyebrows, suspension followed,” the source added.
