Tuesday’s suspension of the member representing Ughelli North 1 constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Matthew Omonade, was based on his claims that his bill was plagiarised, SaharaReporters has learnt.
The suspended lawmaker is also the chairman of the House Committee on Public Petitions.
The House suspended the All Progressive Congress, (APC) lawmaker for 14 days over ‘gross misconduct’.
The Speaker, Emomotimi Guwor, on Tuesday, pronounced the suspension order following a motion by the Majority Leader, Emeka Nwaobi, which was seconded by the House Chief Whip, Perkins Umukoro, and unanimously adopted by the House.
Following the unanimous adoption of the motion, the Speaker pronounced a 14-day suspension order on the lawmaker, saying, “By the provisions of the House of Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Law, Cap H6 Laws of Delta State, 2008, and the Standing Orders of the House, the Honourable Member representing Ughelli North 1 State constituency shall forthwith withdraw from the precincts of the House for the period of the suspension.
“The Honourable member representing Ughelli North 1 State Constituency should immediately return to the management all government properties in his possession including the official vehicle.”
The Speaker thereafter directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the suspended member out of the floor of the House and immediately announced a five-man Ad-hoc committee headed by the Majority Leader, Emeka Nwaobi, to investigate the alleged “gross misconduct”.
According to the House, the suspended APC lawmaker “willfully and falsely perverted the proceedings of the House on Wednesday, May 8, 2024”.
According to the Majority Leader, the action violates the standing order and rules of the House, hence, the need for the suspension.
Meanwhile, an investigation done by SaharaReporters revealed that the suspended lawmaker was not suspended over “gross misconduct” as stated by the House but 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 “intellectual theft”.
Confiding in SaharaReporters, a senior management staff member of the House of Assembly who spoke on condition of anonymity said the APC lawmaker was suspended following his protest against the Speaker and the House for ‘stealing his bill’ and changing it to an Executive Bill without acknowledgement.
“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 the House said he was suspended for gross misconduct.”
A principal member of the House, who also spoke to SaharaReporters, for fear of sanction said he was not happy with the suspension of the lawmaker.
He confirmed that Omonade was suspended for challenging the House over his bill that was plagiarised and for asking that the bill be withdrawn.
“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.”
Reacting to his suspension on his Facebook account, Omonade called on his constituents and supporters to remain calm, describing the issue as an in-house matter that would soon be resolved.
He said, “I know that my constituents, supporters and well-wishers received the news of my suspension with shock, it is expectedly so. However, there is no cause for worries! It is about an internal issue in the House, and it will be resolved in the House as one big family that legislates for the good of Deltans.
“In all human societies, conflicts are inevitable. This experience is one of such. While I appreciate your concerns, which are expressed in a series of calls and text messages, I wish to urge you all not to cast aspersions or attacks on anybody. As a responsible Deltan and pacifist, I will always toe the path of peace in the best interest of my constituents. I sincerely appreciate you all.”
Efforts to reach the House of Assembly Speaker, Guwor for comments failed as he did not answer his calls and did not reply to the text message sent to him.