National Assembly Enmeshed In Plagiarism Row

A senior research fellow at the National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS), Dr. Ogujuiba Kanayo, has petitioned the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to look into an alleged case of victimisation and persecution against him by the Director General of the institute, Dr. Ladi Hamalai, Vanguard reports.

According to the petition letter dated February 11, 2016, the petitioner accused the DG of victimisation him because he had knowledge of a plagiarism allegation against her by a New Jersey, US-based publishing firm.

He also accused the DG of impetuousness concerning the institute’s annual leave policy, arguing that many staff members of the institute have left the institution because it.

“It may interest Your Excellency to note that (they) –referring to many senior staff- have all left the employment of the Institute because of bias, the denial of their basic rights and mistreatment of their persons. In addition, other Senior Officers who have dared speak up against tyranny and leadership style at the Institute were derided, consequently they also resigned. Historical facts further confirm that this style of leadership was a recurring decimal during the Policy and Research Project, PARP, days. Several Staff of PARP were also subjected to these dehumanizing capers. These facts are easily verifiable,” the petition letter read in part.

Dr. Kanayo said through the letter that he was seeking protection from the Senate President against continued persecution from the DG and arbitrary sack.

However, the DG dismissed the plagiarism allegation against her, stating that sufficient reference was made to the book in question: “Legislators in Changing Times, an analysis of the Nigerian National Assembly” published by Goldmine and Jacobs of New Jersey, USA.

Also, the DG denied persecuting the petitioner and stated that it was impossible to unilaterally sack any senior member of staff of the institution because there was a Governing Council that looks into such matters and recommends the right course of action based on considerable deliberation.