Bende Political Shift: Stakeholders Declare Mantle of Leadership Has Moved From Benjamin Kalu to Chima Anyaso

Political stakeholders in Bende Federal Constituency say the centre of political gravity in the area has shifted, declaring that the “mantle of leadership” has moved from the incumbent Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, to Labour Party chieftain, Dr. Chimaobi Anyaso.

The declaration was made during a stakeholders’ meeting in Igbere, where leaders from all 13 wards of Bende unanimously endorsed Anyaso to contest the House of Representatives seat on the platform of the Labour Party in the 2027 general elections.

Presenting the aspirant, Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, said the call was driven by Anyaso’s “proven track record and the trust he has built among the people.”

“Bende requires a credible and competent representative with a clear vision for progress,” Agbaeze stated, adding that the growing support for Dr. Anyaso reflects “a shared belief in his ability to deliver effective representation at the national level”.

Speaking on behalf of the Ikwuisii bloc, leaders including Madam Ezinne Onyeabor, Dr. Pascal Kalu, and Dr. Kenneth Chikezie described Anyaso as “a dependable and capable candidate worthy of the mandate”.

Anyaso’s emergence is also being linked to the state government. He is the founder of the “Otti Again 2027 Movement” and is seen as a key ally of Governor Alex Otti. Senior officials of the Otti administration were present at the endorsement and described Anyaso as the “missing link” needed to align federal representation with the state government.

The Labour Party in Abia, through its state publicity secretary Iroegbu Emenike, has been coordinating the affirmation of candidates ahead of 2027 as the party seeks to consolidate its gains.

In the 2023 elections, LP won 6 of Abia’s 8 House of Representatives seats, with Bende remaining one of two seats retained by the APC.

Benjamin Kalu, currently Deputy Speaker, was re-elected in 2023 and was later returned unopposed as the APC candidate for Bende. He defeated Anyaso, who then ran under the PDP, in both the poll and a subsequent Appeal Court judgment.

Anyaso, speaking at a recent forum at Harvard University, said “the most valuable currency in leadership is not money, influence or position — it is trust” and called for transparency, accountability and respect for the rule of law in governance.

With both Kalu and Anyaso now set on a collision course for 2027, Bende Federal Constituency is bracing for what stakeholders describe as a defining contest between incumbency and the LP wave in Abia.