House of Reps Fails to Confirm if Alex Ikwechegh Would Be Suspended
Nigeria’s House of Representatives has refused to confirm whether Alex Ikwechegh, a member of the lower chamber representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency, would be suspended following his altercation, where he threatened to make a Bolt driver, identified as Stephen Abuwatseya, disappear.
In a video that has since gone viral, Ikwechegh threatened to make Abuwatseya “disappear” without facing any consequences.
“Do you know who I am? I can make this man (driver) disappear in the whole of Nigeria, and nothing will happen. Can you imagine this rat? I am not going to give this boy one naira of my money.”
The footage has sparked outrage among Nigerians, many of whom are demanding that the lawmaker be suspended from the House of Reps.
However, Hon. Akin Rotimi, Jr., the Spokesman of the House of Representatives, refused to explicitly state whether the lawmaker would be suspended.
When specifically asked if Hon. Ikwechegh will be suspended pending an investigation into his conduct, Akin Rotimi replied,
“The House remains committed to addressing the issues,” he said in an email communication, while directing Neusroom to a Facebook post by Ikwechegh, where he apologised for his misconduct.
Although the Nigerian police have launched an investigation into the incident, the House of Representatives, in an earlier communication, asked the Nigerian people: “we urge the public to allow the due process of investigation to unfold,” without stating whether the lower chamber will conduct its own internal investigation or what sanction is befitting of such conduct.
