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UMUAHIA, Abia State — The political landscape in Bende Federal Constituency may be heading for a fierce contest ahead of the 2027 general elections, following the endorsement of Labour Party chieftain, Dr. Chimaobi Anyaso, by stakeholders who declared that the “mantle of leadership” in the constituency has shifted from the incumbent Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu.
The declaration was made during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Igbere, where political leaders drawn from all 13 wards of the constituency unanimously urged Anyaso to contest the Bende Federal Constituency seat on the platform of the Labour Party.
The endorsement signals what political observers describe as the formal commencement of the battle for one of Abia State’s most closely watched National Assembly seats, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest between the incumbent lawmaker and one of the state’s prominent opposition figures.
Presenting Anyaso to the gathering, the Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, described the Labour Party stalwart as a leader whose track record and growing acceptance across the constituency make him well-positioned to represent Bende at the National Assembly.
According to Agbaeze, the call for Anyaso’s candidature was inspired by the need for credible, competent and visionary leadership capable of delivering effective representation and accelerated development for the people.
Leaders of the Ikwuisii bloc, including Madam Ezinne Onyeabor, Dr. Pascal Kalu and Dr. Kenneth Chikezie, also threw their weight behind the aspiration, describing Anyaso as a dependable and capable leader deserving of the people’s mandate.
The endorsement further underscores Anyaso’s increasing political influence within the Labour Party and the Abia State Government. As founder of the Otti Again 2027 Movement, he is widely regarded as a close political ally of Governor Alex Otti, with several senior government officials attending the meeting and describing him as the “missing link” required to strengthen synergy between the federal constituency and the state administration.
The Labour Party has continued to consolidate its political structure in Abia ahead of the next electoral cycle. The party’s State Publicity Secretary, Iroegbu Emenike, has been coordinating consultations and affirmations of prospective candidates as the party seeks to build on its impressive performance in the 2023 general elections, when it secured six of the state’s eight House of Representatives seats. Bende and another constituency remained the only seats retained by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Despite the latest political momentum behind Anyaso, the contest remains a significant challenge. Benjamin Kalu, who currently serves as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, was re-elected in 2023 after defeating Anyaso, then the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate. The victory was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal, while Kalu later emerged unopposed as the APC’s standard-bearer for the constituency.
Meanwhile, Anyaso has continued to project a governance philosophy centred on integrity and accountability. Speaking recently at a forum at Harvard University, he argued that trust remains the most valuable asset in public leadership, stressing that transparency, accountability and adherence to the rule of law are indispensable to effective governance.
With both political heavyweights expected to square off in 2027 under different party platforms, political analysts believe the Bende Federal Constituency election is shaping up to be one of the defining legislative contests in Abia State, pitching the strength of incumbency against the Labour Party’s sustained popularity in the state.
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