Nigeria: Two Terms Enough, Bende Stakeholders Press Kalu to Step Down in 2027 Elections

What the report says

Stakeholders in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State have rejected a reported move by a group called the Bende Forum to endorse Deputy Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, for a third term. According to This Day, the reaction came from a multiparty gathering of local stakeholders who said the endorsement did not represent the wider area and should be disregarded.

The meeting, held in Bende on August 1, 2026, brought together people linked to the PDP, APC, LP, ADC and other parties. In a communique, they described the earlier statement as improper and said the Bende Forum name was being used without authority. Local officials and community leaders involved in the response said they wanted to preserve peace in the area and prevent political tension.

This Day reported that the disputed endorsement had been issued on July 28 by a group led by Dr. P.C. Mba, who argued that Bende South should continue to hold the House seat on grounds of fairness. The counterstatement said the forum had long ceased to function and that its name was being misrepresented. The dispute reflects a broader contest over representation and rotation politics in Bende, a recurring issue in Nigerian local and state-level politics.