A coalition of 84 civil society organisations has called for the suspension of Alex Ikwechegh, a member of the House of Representatives, who was caught on camera assaulting a Bolt driver, Stephen Abuwatseya.
The CSOs, in a statement on Friday, condemned Mr Ikwechegh’s behaviour and described it as a “disturbing example of impunity among public officials”.
The coalition, which includes organisations such as Global Rights, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Amnesty International Nigeria, BudgIT, the CLEEN Foundation, and others pledged to maintain pressure on the government to uphold the principles of accountability and equal treatment under the law.
Background
Mr Ikwechegh was captured on video assaulting a Bolt driver, Stephen Abuwatseya, who had come to deliver a package to him.
Recall that Mr Ikwechegh, in the video, not only assaulted the driver but also yelled slurs at him and threatened to make him disappear without a trace.
The incident occurred on 27 October at Mr Ikwechegh’s residence in Maitama, Abuja.
Mr Ikwechegh is facing the House Committee on Ethics and has also been arraigned at a Kuje Magistrate’s Court, where he faces three counts of assault and threats to life.
He pleaded not guilty to all three counts on Wednesday but offered an apology on the floor of the House for his actions.
Ikwechegh must be suspended — Coalition
In the statement, the coalition expressed concerns over the attitude of other lawmakers, whom they said have remained silent on the matter.
They added that the evidence against the lawmaker is “compelling and irrefutable”.
“We are troubled by the silence of key elected officials and political figures on this issue. The evidence is compelling and irrefutable, yet Mr Ikwechegh’s colleagues at the National Assembly have failed to condemn his actions,” the coalition stated.
They argued that the suspension of the lawmaker is critical to prevent the intimidation of Mr Abuwatseya, stating that the suspension would help to protect him from reprisals and support his right to pursue legal action.
The coalition cited the 1999 Constitution, which mandates the government to prioritise citizens’ welfare under Section 14(2)(b) and to protect the dignity of all Nigerians under Section 34.
They argued that the incident highlights broader issues of inequality in Nigeria, where individuals with wealth and influence often evade accountability.
The coalition also appealed to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to monitor the case to ensure that Mr Ikwechegh’s influence does not interfere with judicial proceedings.
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