PARALLAX SNAPS: Suspension of Anambra Lawmaker Udemezue — Let it not be what I’m thinking

By Tony Okafor

The three-month suspension of Hon. Bernard Udemezue, member representing Ayamelum constituency, should give Ndi Anambra cause for concern.

His alleged offence stemmed largely from informing his constituents that lawmakers receive ₦10 million quarterly for constituency projects.

Instead of clarifying the facts or explaining how these funds are applied, the House of Assembly chose to punish the messenger.

In a democracy, discipline within parliament is necessary. But so also is restraint. When a legislature moves too quickly to silence one of its own — perhaps because the executive does not like his face — it risks eroding its independence and diminishing its dignity.

While Udemezue’s approach to official matters may have lacked tact and breached legislative decorum, this alone does not justify the severity of his suspension.

A legislature cannot function if order is continually undermined. Yet the punishment imposed — barring him for three months without pay and stripping his constituents of representation — is excessive, politically unwise, and arguably unconstitutional.

The real issue here is transparency. Constituents have a right to know what resources are available to their representatives and how such resources are deployed.

By dragging this matter into a public brawl, the Assembly has only magnified suspicions that could have been better handled administratively.

The question then arises: who exactly is the Assembly trying to please by exposing details that would hardly have reached the public domain if its own members had not blown the lid?

This controversy also raises a broader concern: the relationship among the arms of government.

Cooperation between the legislature, executive, and judiciary is desirable, but it must never appear that one arm is worshipping another for favours.

It is wrong and dangerous for the Assembly to be seen as fighting the executive’s battles against lawmakers who have fallen out of favour. Such posturing undermines the doctrine of separation of powers and portrays the legislature as a mere appendage.

Democracy thrives not when a lawmaker is silenced, but when allegations are openly tested against the truth. The Assembly must never forget that its primary duty is to the people, not to personal pride or outside influence.

We therefore urge caution. The Anambra House of Assembly should reconsider the suspension, restore decorum through dialogue, and uphold both discipline and transparency.

Anything less is not only a betrayal of the people’s trust but also a public stripping of the legislature’s own dignity.