Assault: Ikwechegh May Be In For Double Tragedy -Reps Minority Leader

The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, stated the fate of his colleague, Alex Ikwechegh, who assaulted an e-hailing driver, Stephen Abuwatseya in Abuja, saying he may suffer double tragedy.

Chinda made this statement on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television.

He said Ikwechegh is currently being prosecuted at the Magistrate Court, adding that the House has also sent him to the disciplinary committee on the same issue.

According to Chinda, he has spoken with his colleague, who has shown remorse and apologised to Nigerians.

“Perhaps, he might suffer double jeopardy if he is undergoing prosecution and disciplined in the House.

“But in essence, I don’t think anybody will agree that that is a standard for parliamentarians. They call us honourable members so we should be honourable within and outside the parliament. And people should look up to us. Public office holders are like pastors and Imams and people should look up to you in character and conduct,” he said.

EKO HOT BLOG recalls that Nigerians were outraged when the video of Ikwechegh assaulting the e-hailing driver in Abuja surfaced on the internet late October.

It was gathered that Ikwechegh had ordered some snails from a vendor who engaged the services of the e-hailing App driver to deliver the goods.

However, a heated argument was said to have ensued when the driver arrived at the lawmaker’s residence and asked to be paid.

A furious Ikwechegh, representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, was heard speaking with the vendor on the phone in the presence of the driver.

“How can this stupid idiot come to me and tell me that I am supposed to come and meet him in his car and pick up a snail I am buying from you? I can make this man disappear in the whole of Nigeria and nothing will happen,” the lawmaker said.

Ikwechegh allegedly faced Abuwatseya after the phone conversation with the snail vendor, and gave him two slaps on the cheeks but the driver was said to have maintained his composure in the face of the assault.

Following the development, many Nigerians had called for justice with the police arresting and prosecuting the lawmaker who has since tendered a public apology to the driver and Nigerians.

Last Wednesday, a Magistrates’ Court in Kuje, Abuja granted bail to Ikwechegh for N500,000 after he was arraigned on three counts of abuse of office, assault, and threat to life, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id adjourned the case to November 8 for a hearing.

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