Traditional rulers of Igbere in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State have thrown their full weight behind the 2027 re-election bid of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, urging him to return to the National Assembly for another term.
The endorsement came during a courtesy call by the Deputy Speaker as part of his ongoing “Meet Your Constituents” tour of traditional rulers in the area on Wednesday.
Speaking on behalf of the Igbere traditional rulers, His Royal Majesty (HRM) Eze Joseph Ukaoha Anyanta praised Kalu for what he described as an outstanding legislative service. He noted that no representative since the return of democracy in 1999 has matched Kalu’s quality of representation, legislative achievements, and infrastructural interventions in Bende Federal Constituency.
“Yours is an outstanding legislative service, the best since 1999. Yours is different and we are seeing it all over the place. We are giving you our support so that you can do your work in peace,” Eze Anyanta said.
The monarch further conferred the collective royal blessings of the Igbere traditional institution on the Deputy Speaker and pledged their unflinching support for the continuation of his legislative deliveries.
“Anyone who wishes you evil will not succeed. We pray to God to give you the grace to achieve your lofty dreams for Bende. Whatever we can do to make this a reality, we will do it,” he added.
The endorsement by the Igbere traditional rulers adds to a growing list of support from traditional institutions, religious leaders, and community groups across Bende Federal Constituency for Kalu’s third-term ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kalu, who was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2019 and re-elected in 2023, currently serves as Deputy Speaker of the 10th House.