A still-unidentified “deputy director” said to be responsible for President Muhammadu Buhari’s plagiarized speech at the inauguration of the Change Begins With Me campaign has been redeployed from the State House, according to Vanguard.
After the news broke that President Buhari had plagiarised America’s President Barack Obama’s 2008 victory speech, he blamed it on an “overzealous” aide, promised that “those responsible” will be punished.
A source close to the presidency who spoke on condition of anonymity said the director who copied part of Obama’s speech has been fired.
“At 8 o’clock on the Monday [September 26, 2016] morning following the allegations, he reported at the office of the Head of Service, and he was immediately asked to vacate his position and office at the State House pending further measures which will be guided by civil service rules and regulations,” an anonymous source told Vanguard.
Meanwhile, new reports emerged last week placing the responsibility for the plagiarism at the foot of Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura, a power broker in Aso Rock who has usurped the role of the first lady and chief of staff in Aso Rock.
Following the incident, the presidency apologised for plagiarizing Obama and concrete steps were taken to ensure it does not happen again.
One of the measures, according to reports, is to install plagiarism detection software to check speeches before they are delivered by the president.
