A group of prominent stakeholders from Bende Local Government Area of Abia State has distanced itself from a communiqué issued in the name of the purported Bende Forum, describing it as an act of impersonation and urging members of the public to disregard its contents.
The position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting held on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Participants said they were compelled to address what they described as the unauthorized use of the name of the defunct Bende Forum to promote personal and sectional interests.
The communiqué, read by Chief Ukwu Rocks Emma and signed by the Mayor of Bende, Deacon Bassey Uwabunkeonye, Barrister Chijioke Nwankwo and other stakeholders, stated that the original Bende Forum was established during the administration of former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu to promote the collective interest, peace and unity of the people of Bende.
According to the stakeholders, the forum was chaired by Chief Emma Omokwe, with Chief P. C. Mba serving as secretary, while commissioners, advisers, elected officials, political appointees and respected elders constituted its membership.
They recalled that the forum became inactive at the end of the Orji Uzor Kalu administration and noted that an attempt to revive it during the administration of former Governor Theodore Ahamefule Orji, under the chairmanship of Chief B. A. Nmeregini with the secretary expected to come from Umunna, eventually collapsed due to what they described as excessive politicization.
The stakeholders therefore questioned the legitimacy of individuals currently claiming to speak on behalf of the Bende Forum, insisting that no recognized Bende Forum presently exists.
They specifically rejected a recent communiqué reportedly read by Hon. B. C. Mba, describing it as misleading and an unauthorized use of the collective identity of the people of Bende, while formally disassociating themselves from it.
The gathering emphasized that no legitimate Bende Forum had endorsed Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu or any other aspirant for the Bende Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.
On the issue of zoning, the stakeholders maintained that while political arrangements may exist, they should not overshadow the democratic process.
They urged all aspirants to present their credentials, programmes and manifestos to the electorate and allow the people to freely choose their preferred candidate instead of engaging in divisive arguments over political arrangements.
They called on all sons and daughters of Bende to work towards rebuilding a genuine, united and broadly accepted Bende Forum that would truly represent the collective aspirations and interests of the area.
The communiqué further warned against continued impersonation of the defunct forum or any attempt by individuals or groups to speak on behalf of the people of Bende without a legitimate mandate.
The stakeholders concluded by praying for peaceful elections, reaffirming their commitment to the unity and progress of Bende, while expressing support for the administration of Governor Alex Otti.
The stakeholders also reaffirmed their support for Governor Alex Otti’s administration, pledging to preserve peace and unity in Bende while rejecting what they described as divisive political activities.
Earlier, the Mayor of Bende, Deacon Bassey Uwabunkeonye, explained that the meeting was convened at his instance to consolidate support for the transformative development agenda of Governor Alex Chioma Otti and to ensure that no individual or group disrupts the prevailing peace in the local government.
He stressed that the peace currently enjoyed in Bende should be sustained beyond 2031, emphasizing the need for all stakeholders to remain united in the interest of development.
According to him, the meeting was also called to chart a common course for Bende and respond to a press statement circulated in recent days, which participants described as unauthorized and not representative of the position of the people.
The Mayor noted that representatives of various political parties, including the Labour Party, PDP, APC, ADC and NDC, attended the meeting, stressing that Bende would not allow a few individuals to create division or unrest within the local government.
He maintained that the people of Bende remain committed to peaceful coexistence and collective progress, adding that stakeholders would continue to work together to safeguard the unity, stability and development of the area.
Reacting after the meeting, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2027 Abia State House of Assembly election, Hon. Friday Chinedum, dismissed allegations of engaging in anti-party activities, insisting that his participation was solely to correct what he described as a wrong political narrative.
Responding to questions from journalists, the PDP chieftain said his position was based on fairness rather than party affiliation.
“I don’t think this is anti-party activity. It is about putting the record straight,” he said.
He argued that allowing anyone to seek what he described as a third term in the Bende Federal Constituency after serving two terms would be unfair and contrary to an earlier understanding among stakeholders.
According to him, eight years in office should be sufficient for any elected representative to make meaningful contributions.
“Once someone has been given the opportunity to serve for eight years, I think that is enough. Coming back again or adopting someone without the consent of the people of Bende is wrong and unacceptable,” he stated.
Chinedum stressed that he attended the meeting not as a representative of the PDP but as “a son of Bende” and “a son of Uzuakoli,” adding that his primary interest was the collective good of the people.
Asked whether the communiqué suggested that Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu lacked the credentials to seek re-election, he clarified that this was never the position of the stakeholders.
“We never said he has no credentials. What we are saying is that after serving for almost eight years, he should honourably step aside and allow another person to serve,” he explained.
He added that the issue was not about educational qualifications or personal credentials but about giving others the opportunity to represent the constituency.
The PDP stalwart also recalled previous political developments in Bende, noting that the people had in the past opposed the return of former representatives after completing their tenure because they believed in leadership rotation.
He maintained that the same principle should apply now, insisting that public office should not become the preserve of one individual.
According to him, politics should ultimately serve the interests of the people rather than personal ambition, urging all political actors to respect the desire of the people for equity, fairness and inclusive representation.
Also speaking, an All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the 2027 House of Assembly election in Bende Local Government Area, Hon. Anyim Jonah Eke, expressed support for the existing rotational arrangement for the Bende Federal Constituency seat, saying it was time for power to shift in line with an agreement reached by stakeholders.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting convened by the Mayor of Bende, Eke said the gathering was called to address the activities of a group claiming to represent the Bende Stakeholders Forum and reportedly endorsing a particular aspirant for the House of Representatives.
According to him, the stakeholders met to receive a briefing and make contributions on the issue.
“The election is approaching and all the candidates are still campaigning. We cannot conclude that one person is better than the others. Every aspirant should be given a level playing ground to campaign and present his manifesto to the people,” he said.
Responding to questions about Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu’s reported bid for another term, Eke recalled that he participated in a stakeholders’ meeting held in 2019 at the palace of the then Chairman of the Bende Traditional Rulers Council, where he represented the Minority Leader of the Abia State House of Assembly.
According to Eke, stakeholders at the meeting agreed that the Bende Federal Constituency seat should rotate between Bende North and Bende South State Constituencies, with each zone producing the representative for two terms.
While acknowledging that the Nigerian Constitution gives every qualified citizen the right to contest elections, he maintained that the political understanding within Bende requires the current occupant of the seat to step aside after completing two terms.
“The Constitution gives him the right to contest if he wishes, but there is an arrangement in Bende that after two terms, the seat should rotate to the other state constituency,” Eke said.
Asked whether he personally supported Benjamin Kalu seeking another term, the APC stakeholder replied that he believed the Deputy Speaker should honour the rotational agreement.
“I support him stepping down because there is an arrangement in Bende between the two state constituencies. It is for two tenures only,” he stated.
Eke concluded by reiterating that respecting the agreement would promote equity, fairness and unity among the people of Bende ahead of the 2027 general elections.If you’d like, I can also rewrite this in a more newspaper-style format with a stronger lead and tighter paragraphs suitable for publication.
