A former chairman of Bende Local Government Area, Hon. Gabriel Okereke-Elendu, has said that Bende has never had a rotational agreement regarding the Bende Federal Constituency seat.
Speaking in Bende on Tuesday, Okereke-Elendu challenged proponents of the purported zoning arrangement to produce documents backing the agreement, insisting that there is no subsisting rotational agreement for elective positions in Bende.
Okereke-Elendu faulted claims of an equity arrangement being pushed by some political actors ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said, “My sister, Hon. Nnenna Ukeje, took over and served for 12 years. Benjamin Kalu’s tenure still has four years remaining. When somebody comes today to tell us about agreements, it baffles me.”
Okereke-Elendu accused Chima Anyaso of inconsistency, noting that in 2019, “knowing fully well that the right of Ikwuisii Bende is from Bende North, he contested against the right of Hon. Benjamin Kalu. In 2023, he came out again to contest the same seat, but he was denied a ticket.”
“He went around as the deputy governorship candidate of YPP. Today, he is back again to talk about equity. Knowing fully well that my sister from Bende North has done 16 good years, not even 12 years. 16 good years. Why won’t Bende South be allowed to complete eight years?” he queried.
According to him, “In Bende, we have never had any rotational agreements. The equity stance is that the right of Ikwuisii Bende was allowed to complete 12 years, and that right of Ikwuisii Bende came from Bende North.”
Okereke-Elendu said if Bende people truly want to harmonise a consensus, “we can come together, both the traditional rulers and the political stakeholders from different parties, and sit down to harmonise how our consensus will be run. But today, we don’t have such a thing in Bende.”
He dismissed claims of prior agreements with former lawmakers.
“First of all, he claimed they had an agreement with Benjamin Kalu. How? No way. He still went and contested. He also said that Anyaso had an agreement, and we have asked them to produce those agreements. Nobody has ever produced even a sheet of paper.”
On the House of Representatives seat, he said Bende North has capable people to contest.
“If today we are talking about the Federal House, we have able men and women from Bende North who are responsible and productive, and who are willing and ready to contest for that seat.”
He added that at the appropriate time, “Bende North will sit down and look at the character of each and every one of us, and identify people that are ready and willing, that have the capacity, and that have the interest of Bende at heart to contest for that seat.”
For now, he declared support for the incumbent.
“For today, we are supporting Benjamin Kalu to go back for his third term. Because in Bende, he has done well. He has performed very, very well.”
Okereke-Elendu concluded that his position was not borne out of selfish interest, “but for the interest of the whole Bende people.”
