House committee to invite Bolt driver assaulted by Abia Rep, Alex Ikwechegh

The House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business on Wednesday, said it will invite Stephen Abuwatseye, the Abuja-based Uber driver who was assaulted by one of its members, Hon. Alex Ikwechegh, to give his testimony as part of its investigation into the matter.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Francis Waive who disclosed this when he appeared on a programme on TVC, said the House would apply the core principles of fair hearing and rules of law while investigating the assault which has caused serious outrage across the country.

“In every case where such things have been done, the House gives a privilege, opportunity rather, to every party involved to be heard. In this particular case. The driver will be invited by the ethics and privileges to tell his side of the story and the honourable member will also tell his side of the story,’ Waive said.

“And other people involved like whoever made those phone calls. And usually we do our things in the open, public hearing and investigative hearing are always open. And the public can be assured that we are always open.”

READ ALSO: Lawmaker, Ikwechegh, who assaulted Bolt driver begs colleagues (Video)

Ripples Nigeria had reported how Hon. Ikwechegh who represents Abia South/North Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber became infamous after he was caught on video assaulting the e-hailing cab driver who had gone to deliver a parcel at his Abuja home.

The driver’s sin that led to the assault was that on getting to the lawmaker’s house, he had the temerity to call him to come and receive the item himself, an affront which the honourable could not take and decided to deal decisively with the Uber driver.

In the video, Ikwechegh also threatened to make the driver disappear from Nigeria, saying nothing would happen if he did, even if the driver called on the Inspector-General of Police.

Though he has apologized publicly to Nigerians and to his colleagues during plenary, the dust of the matter is yet to die as the police has also vowed to prosecute him and have already arraigned him in court on Wednesday as well.

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