Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has expressed gratitude to members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bende Federal Constituency for endorsing him to return to the National Assembly for a third term ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kalu spoke during an interview at the Abia APC Secretariat in Umuahia shortly after emerging as the APC candidate for Bende Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives primary election.
The Deputy Speaker described his emergence as a strong demonstration of the confidence and trust reposed in him by party members and constituents across the federal constituency.
According to him, party members across the 13 political wards of Bende Federal Constituency unanimously endorsed him without opposition, as no other aspirant purchased nomination forms to contest against him.
“They have been saying it for a while, but today they decided to formalize it by massively endorsing me for a third term to represent the good people of Bende Federal Constituency,” Kalu stated.
He noted that Bende Federal Constituency remains one of the largest political blocs in Nigeria, adding that the people’s decision to return him to the National Assembly was based on their desire for continuity, effective representation and sustained development.
“They want continuity. They want me to finish what I started. They believe in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which I have projected and deepened at the grassroots,” he said.
Kalu assured the people of Bende that he would continue to provide selfless representation, quality lawmaking and stronger advocacy for federal projects and interventions within the constituency.
“Expect more lawmaking. Expect more representation in analyzing your needs and ensuring that federal attention is drawn to them. We are coming back to support the policies of the current administration because we believe more reforms and innovations will come in the President’s second tenure,” he added.
The Deputy Speaker emphasized the importance of legislative experience and seniority within the National Assembly, arguing that retaining experienced lawmakers benefits constituencies more than constantly replacing them with newcomers.
“In parliament, there is seniority. If a senior is already at grade eight, you don’t replace him with somebody at grade one. Bende people are wise people. They understand the value of continuity,” he stated.
Kalu further stressed that his current position as Deputy Speaker has increased the visibility and influence of Bende Federal Constituency at the national level.
“This is the height of it all, to be a presiding officer. If you bring somebody lower than me, you are underdeveloping the place because it takes years to build the networks, relationships and experience required at that level,” he explained.
Speaking on reports of challenges in some APC House of Representatives primary elections within the state, particularly in Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, Kalu maintained that the party remained committed to transparent and credible primaries.
He disclosed that the APC leadership had earlier engaged stakeholders and informed all aspirants that there would be no automatic tickets.
“We made it very clear that there will be no automatic ticket. We want to test the popularity of our future candidates. Most of the elections took place through direct primaries,” he said.
Kalu assured party members and the public that transparency and accountability would guide the outcome of the exercise, adding that all aspirants were qualified but only those chosen by party members would emerge candidates.
Reacting to questions about his confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Deputy Speaker said his optimism was based on his track record, performance and acceptance among the people.
“No politician underrates an opponent. But are we prepared? Yes. Have we done it before? Severally. We won in 2019 and 2023 even when the ruling party in the state was different from ours,” he stated.
He highlighted his constituency projects and interventions across communities in Bende, insisting that his achievements would speak for him during the elections.
“My signature is everywhere. Every ward and every community in Bende has received a touch of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President,” he said.
Kalu also pledged to embark on vigorous grassroots campaigns across homes, markets and communities despite occupying the office of Deputy Speaker.
“We are going to campaign from house to house. I’m not going into this election because I’m Deputy Speaker. We are going to preach to the people what we are bringing on board,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker assured constituents that his next tenure would focus on consolidating existing projects, attracting more federal presence and delivering greater democratic dividends to the people of Bende Federal Constituency.
