The House of Representatives has decided to launch an investigation into the recent misconduct of Alex Ikwechegh, a representative for Aba North and South Federal Constituency, Abia State, following an alleged assault on an e-hailing (Bolt) cab driver on Sunday, October 27, in Abuja.
This decision followed a motion by the House Leader, Julius Ihonbvere, who invoked the House’s privilege rule during the plenary session on Tuesday, October 29.
Ihonbvere emphasized the importance of preserving the House’s reputation, noting that past assemblies had made deliberate efforts to improve the public image of the institution in interactions with the broader community.
“It is the way you do your house, the role you have to manage your house, that outsiders will see, and give respect to the problems in your house,” Ihonbvere said.
“In fact, Mr. Speaker, the tendency has been for people, particularly in certain sectors, to say how to respect the existence of the house rules.
“In this house, we come from different professional backgrounds and different cultures, and many of us have invested so heavily into improving the reputation before we came here. It is that reputation that we brought to the Representatives, that has a huge impact on education.
“We all have to meditate where we go, who we talk to, how we talk to them, how we relate to them. And sometimes you do not have to just allow this to happen. Sometimes you have to help the institution, and we have the responsibility to do this.
“To lead this institution to where it can go, where we can handle it, so that those that will come to the house, will have a place to be part of us. Our goal is to have together a value that stands.
“I want to say that what has been in the news, and what we have learned about it, is that one of our members was involved with a citizen”.
However, Ikwechegh, speaking under a personal explanation, acknowledged and apologized to the House for his inappropriate conduct and derogatory language towards the e-hailing cab driver, stating that the issue had since been resolved with the driver.
Babajimi Benson, representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency of Lagos State, noted that Parliament is among the most criticized institutions in Nigeria, underscoring the need for lawmakers to remain mindful of their conduct and to remember that they are accountable to the Nigerian public.
“Mr. Speaker, our elders have always said that the day we stop learning is the day we die. They also say that we learn from mistakes and not from successes. However, Parliament is one of the most hated institutions in Nigeria today,” he said.
“We are watched morning, afternoon and night, even though most of us have very noble intentions for the people of Nigeria. We should always be guided and also know that we are not an authority over Nigerians, Nigerians are an authority over us.
“They should be treated with dignity, with respect and with kindness at all times. So if we abide by this politically, Mr. Speaker, we will begin and continue to change that heavily battered image, the garment of which we all wear. So I call on you, Mr. Speaker, I raise my case on these three points”.
Deputy Speaker Rep. Benjamin Kalu, serving as the presiding officer, stated that the House adheres strictly to its rules and, when its integrity is at stake, an investigation is warranted.
“The truth is that we cannot act according to our rules. We cannot act according to what anyone wants us to do. We are guided by our rules. I also maintain that if at any point we feel that the integrity, the dignity of the parliament, have been threatened, or scratched, we will investigate through our impartial structure in the eyes of principles of Nigerian justice, which is fair dialogue.
“That is what we put in our rules. It is not good for us to judge, you know, ahead of time and take the last decision. Therefore, in line with the prayers of the leader of the house, that this matter be referred to the committee of eighties and privilege for him to be heard.”
The House, upon voting, unanimously approved the motion and directed its Committee on Ethics and Privileges to conduct an investigation and report back within two weeks for further legislative action.
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