Labour Party candidate for Bende Federal Constituency, Chima Anyaso, has insisted that Bende North should produce the next House of Representatives member in 2027, citing a zoning agreement reached in 2019.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on Sunday on behalf of Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Anyaso assured residents that the 2027 general election would be free, fair and devoid of rigging.
He warned that the Labour Party administration would not tolerate electoral malpractice, stressing that adequate security would be provided to protect voters and ensure every valid vote counts.
Anyaso urged residents not to be intimidated by political actors, saying the government would safeguard the electoral process across the state.
Highlighting his credentials, he pointed to over two decades of experience in the oil and gas, real estate and hospitality sectors, adding that he has maintained a clean business record.
He also showcased his philanthropic efforts, revealing that he established a nursery school in Ndebende at age 26, later expanded it into a primary school that has provided free education to more than 500 children since 2008.
Anyaso argued that the 2019 zoning pact reached at the palace of Eze Patrick Ude stipulated that the Bende Federal Constituency seat should rotate between Bende North and Bende South after the incumbent’s eight-year tenure.
He dismissed criticisms over recent budget allocation controversies, insisting that the agreement should be respected and that no one could stop what he described as his destined mandate.
Backing his position, the traditional ruler of Igbere, HRH Eze Uwakwe Ukaegbu, confirmed that monarchs across Bende Local Government Area endorsed the rotation arrangement and agreed the seat should return to Bende North’s Umunna Bloc after Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu completes his tenure in 2027.
