Uzoma Abonta Accuses Colleague Of Plagiarizing Bill Earlier Sponsored By Him.
A public hearing put together by the house committee on Anti-Corruption and Commerce on Thursday May 27 2021 to look into the bill to establish the 'Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners' witnessed a dramatic session after Hon Uzoma Abonta, a member of the house from Abia state, accused his colleague, Buba Yakub, from Adamawa, of plagiarizing his bill.
MediaOrchid recalls that the bill which was sponsored by Hon. Yakub, passed the first and second reading in March and April respectively.
Hon. Abonta on the other hand had sponsored the ‘Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professional of Nigeria’ bill. Although it was passed by the house it is yet to be assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Hon. Abonta while speaking asserted that; the provisions of Hon. Yakub’s bill are not different from the one he sponsored.
“ We have rules we follow in the national assembly. National assembly is a hallow chamber, we don’t have to cause confusion, we solve confusion.
“ What is now surprising now is that this bill now being considered… I authored the other forensic bill. This bill is word for word with the bill I authored. That is plagiarism.”
Abonta while speaking was interrupted by Hon. Yakub who raised a point of order.
The legal adviser to the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals, Benjamin Sekpe while during a presentation, said ;
“The bill is a photocopy”.
“ We only got to know about this public hearing this morning that is why we are unable to make proper presentation and submission,” he said.
“ May I bring to the attention of the committee that a bill to establish the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria was passed into law by this same house on the 19th day of May 2021 and what is surprising is the fact that the bill under public hearing at the moment is more or less a photocopy of our bill.”
Hon. Yakub yet again interrupted him and maintained the raising of a point of order and denied Plagiarizing Hon. Abonta's bill and further made requested that Sekpe be placed under oath by before been allowed to speak any further.
" Point of order Mr chairman. Mr. chairman, I will not sit here to take such an insult. My bill is entirely a different bill and then, you cannot come here to say my bill is similar to what it is,
" Mr chairman, you have to take up the matter. It is a serious matter.
“ This bill has gone through the first reading, has gone through second reading in the house, this is the public hearing. So he should be put on oath before he makes his speech so that whatever he said, he should be held accountable for it.”
Sekpe was permitted by the committee to carry on with his presentation regardless of the objections raised by Hon. Yakub and promised to look into the allegation made by Hon. Abonta.
Sekpe while speaking said,
“ The bill that is under public hearing today is more like a rehash of our bill. If the house may take note, the same bill was passed by the eighth assembly but due to gray arrears, the president could not assent to the bill and the bill came back and it was passed by this same house.”
Speaking further he said, allowing the bill to be passed will be a “duplication and multiplication of law”.
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