Third Term Fever: How Benjamin Kalu Turned Goodwill Into Battles Across Bende

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By Chibuisi Mba

Politics, we are told, is about trust, service, and accountability. In Bende Federal Constituency, however, it now appears to be a masterclass in how to turn enormous cross-party goodwill into a full-blown community relations crisis — all in pursuit of an inordinate third-term ambition.

When Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, now Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, contested in 2019, he did not win on APC strength alone. It was an open secret that PDP members abandoned their own candidate, voted and worked for him, just to give Ndi-Ikwuisii a shot at representation. It was a rare coalition of forgiveness and hope. The people did not ask for perfection; they asked for roads, listening ears, and respect for their sacrifice. Goodwill, as they say, is not garri — it finishes.

Seven years later, that goodwill account seems overdrawn.

Travel to Umuimenyi and Nkpa, a ward with a massive 29 polling units — enough votes to make or break any ambition — and the people will show you their dividend of democracy: a road that shines at the Uzuakoli junction for the cameras, but disappears into abandonment a few meters after. It is the kind of road that looks completed on Facebook but unfinished under your feet. They deserve to know what was approved, what was released, and what was actually built.

Then travel to Umuhu-Ezechi, where a N350 million garri-processing plant is officially listed as completed. Completed, yet the community saw nothing until they shouted, and a foundation was hurriedly dug to calm nerves. For N350 million, one expects at least a plant that can process garri, not one that processes excuses. The community is still waiting for the capacity, the machines, the jobs.

Just when you thought it could not get more creative, the 2026 budget brought us the N1 billion church musical equipment scandal, later repackaged as N780 million for youth reorientation through faith-based organizations after a “technical error.” A technical error that mistakenly wrote “musical equipment” instead of “youth reorientation”? Nigerians are still asking: which Ministry will supervise this anointing? And were the churches even consulted before their needs were decided for them?

The traditional institution is not spared. There is a 2019 rotational agreement between Umunna bloc (Bende North) and Ikwu-Isii bloc (Bende South) — two terms and you pass the baton. Traditional rulers say it exists and they signed it. Kalu’s campaign says it is forgery, but simultaneously parades letters from the same rulers disowning it. So the document is fake, but the denial letters are real? Brilliant logic.

The final straw is Item, with nine villages and three political wards. They donated 300 hectares of land for the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences approved for them. Now they hear it must move to Bende town because their land is not fenced. Yet the amendment bill to move it was listed on June 10, before the Abuja inspection team that declared it unready on July 25. It takes special foresight to amend a bill before inspecting the site.

After 8 years of this, the question is inevitable: why seek a third term when you are at war with Umuimenyi, Nkpa, Umuhu, Item, traditional rulers, and even Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, your political leader in 2019?

Bende seems to have answered already. Dr. Chima Anyaso of the Labour Party has signed a contract that he will not do a third term. Sometimes, knowing when to stop is the real achievement.

This post has already been read at least 111365 times!