Drama ensued at the Anambra State House of Assembly on Tuesday, as the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, is getting set to present the 2026 budget appropriation before the House.
There was a heavy presence of security personnel including Police, DSS, NSCDC, among others are all on ground waiting for the arrival of the Governor to the Legislative Chambers.
Top government functionaries, including commissioners, special advisers, media aides, CEOs of various agencies and parastatals, traditional rulers, party faithful, as well as civil society organisations are also seated and waiting for the arrival of the governor.
However, drama ensued when the suspended member, representing Ayamelum Constituency, Bernard Udemezue, was also seen seated at the Legislative Chambers.
The drama played out when the Deputy Speaker, Chukwuma Okoye, and the Member representing Oyi Constituency, Innocent Ojike approached the suspended Lawmaker, reminding him that he was still under suspension.
He was thereafter accompanied out of the Chambers in company with heavy security personnel.
The House leadership also went upstairs to the gallery and walked out all the supporters of the lawmaker who had accompanied him to the plenary.
According to the deputy speaker, the lawmaker did not follow due process by writing to the leadership of the House after his three-month suspension had elapsed.
In defence, Udemezue claimed that he followed due process and had submitted the necessary letters for resumption to the appropriate authorities before his appearance.
This development resulted in a serious altercation between the parties involved prompting the security operatives to walk the suspended lawmaker to the new legislative building where he is currently being detained.
As at the time of filing this report, the House still await the arrival of the governor for his budget presentation.
PUNCH Online, in August 2025, reported that the Anambra State House of Assembly has suspended the member representing Ayamelum Constituency, Bernard Udemezue, for three months.
Udemezue was suspended over a message and content he shared on social media, which the House described as “damaging content”.
The lawmaker, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, had shared on his social media handles, alleging that his constituency, Ayamelum, is marginalised in the area of constituency allowance.
But reacting to the post, the House first passed the resolution to summon Udemezue at its plenary last Tuesday, following a matter of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Aguata 2 Constituency, Tony Muobike, and seconded by the Chief Whip and member representing Ihiala 1 Constituency, Jude Ngobili.
The Speaker, Somtochukwu Udeze, who presided over the plenary last Tuesday, referred the matter to the House Committee on Rules, Businesses, Ethics and Privileges and to report back to the House on Tuesday (this week).
And at the plenary on Tuesday(today), the House passed the resolution to suspend the lawmaker for three months.
