Ikwechegh’s Contempt for Common Man

Last Sunday’s physical and verbal abuses on a Bolt driver by a member of the House of Representatives, Alex Ikwechegh and the lawmaker’s threat to cause the disappearance of the driver without any consequences show how the life of a common man is worthless to an average Nigerian politician, Ejiofor Alike writes that the lawmaker should be treated like his British counterpart, Mike Amesbury, who was suspended last Monday for punching a man in the face

A member representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Alex Ikwechegh, last Sunday engaged in despicable conduct that demonstrated how an average Nigerian political leader holds the masses in disdain and contempt.

In a video footage that went viral last Monday, Ikwechegh was seen engaging in abuse of power by physically assaulting, and verbally threatening an e-hailing driver from Bolt, Stephen Abuwatseya, at the lawmaker’s residence in Maitama, Abuja.

The lawmaker had ordered some snails from a woman vendor who engaged the services of the e-hailing App driver to deliver the goods.

On getting to the lawmaker’s residence, the driver was said to have requested that he come to his car to collect the package, a request the lawmaker considered disrespectful.

A furious Ikwechegh refused to pay the driver, and was heard speaking with the vendor on the phone and yelling.  

He said: “Madam, who is this stupid boy that you sent to my house? Who is this foolish boy that you sent to my house? How can this stupid idiot come to my house and tell me that I’m supposed to come and meet him in his car and pick up a snail that I’m buying from you?”

 “Can you imagine this rat? I can make this man disappear in the whole of Nigeria and nothing would happen.

“I’m not going to give this silly boy one naira of my money.”

When the driver protested against the barrage of insults, the lawmaker was further enraged.

He said: “I will slap the hell out of you; lie you down, and lock you in my generator house. How dare you?

“Do you know who you’re talking to? Do you know where you are?”

Ikwechegh proceeded to slap the driver while saying, “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to.”

The lawmaker also challenged the driver to call the Inspector General of Police (IG) to come to his residence, boasting that nothing would happen.

Ikwechegh’s actions and utterances show how Nigerian leaders regard the life of the common man as worthless.

This explained the threat that he could make the driver disappear from the country and nothing would happen.

The disparaging remarks he made about the driver, his fellow young man, just because he had the privilege of being elevated by politics, also showed that the poor man means nothing to an average politician.

It is not surprising that while the Nigerian leaders live in affluence, they make life increasingly unbearable for the common man.

Following the nationwide outrage, the lawmaker had quickly offered an apology for his despicable behaviour. However, his claim that he was “seeking professional counselling to ensure that such behaviour never happens again,” seems to have conveyed the negative impression that he was under the influence of foreign substances when he displayed the condemnable act.

His inhuman actions against the poor driver did not portray him as someone who could treat citizens of low class with any modicum of dignity and respect, as pledged in his apology.

However, it was reassuring that his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was among the first groups to condemn his despicable conduct.

APGA, while reacting to the viral video, said the lawmaker’s reaction was condemnable in all ramifications, adding that his behaviour fell short of the party’s constitution.

The party vowed to set up a disciplinary committee to investigate the act, adding that if found wanting, appropriate sanctions shall be meted on him.

On its part, the House of Representatives also referred Ikwechegh to its Ethics and Privileges Committee, for further legislative action.

Though Ikwechegh apologised to his colleagues on the floor, a motion of privilege moved by the House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere during Tuesday’s plenary session, had notified the House that by threatening to make the driver disappear without consequences, Ikwechegh had brought the Green Chamber into ridicule

The police also acted swiftly by speedily concluding investigation and prosecuting the lawmaker last Wednesday on charges of “Abuse of office, criminal intimidation and criminal force and assault contrary to Sections 397(b) and 265 of the Penal Code Act at the Kuje Magistrate Court.

The Magistrate, Abubakar Umar Sai’id, granted him bail at the sum of N500,000 and two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case to November 8, 2024.

However, Nigeria should take a cue from the United Kingdom on how citizens should be treated with respect and how leaders should be held accountable for their actions.

Without prejudice to the court case, the Nigerian lawmaker should be treated like his British counterpart, Mike Amesbury, who was suspended by the ruling Labour Party (LP) last Monday after a video footage showed him punching a man repeatedly on the street.

The UK Police were investigating the alleged attack by Amesbury, which occurred on the night of Friday, last two weeks.

The incident first came to light after a video footage shows Amesbury talking to a man before punching him in the face and then attempting to strike him again repeatedly on the ground.

In its reaction, the Labour Party said Amesbury, a member of Parliament in Cheshire, northwest England, was assisting police in their investigation, adding that they have suspended the backbencher “pending an investigation.”

On his part, the lawmaker said in a statement that he was “involved in an incident that took place after I felt threatened on the street following an evening out with friends.”

He said he had “contacted Cheshire Police myself to report what happened during the incident.”

Cheshire police said in a statement that the 55-year-old lawmaker was voluntarily interviewed under caution by police and released, pending further enquiries.

In line with their culture of treating citizens with respect and dignity, the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, had issued a statement of condemnation of the British lawmaker’s action.

“I have seen the video footage; it’s shocking,” Starmer told reporters on Monday.

“We moved very swiftly to suspend him as a member and as a member of parliament,” he added.

Ironically, Nigeria’s presidency did not consider a similar shameful action by Ikwechegh embarrassing to the image of the country to warrant a statement of condemnation.

The attitude of the Nigerian leaders towards the masses explains why Nigerian citizens are not treated with dignity and respect both within and outside the country.