2027: Bende Traditional Rulers Disown LP Candidate Anyaso on Rotation Document, Allege Forgery
Traditional rulers in Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State have disowned and dissociated themselves from a document circulating as a purported 2019 agreement on representation and rotation for the seat
Zoning and rotation arrangements have long shaped political contests in Abia State's Bende Federal Constituency, with traditional rulers and community leaders typically relied upon to mediate understandings on which part of the constituency produces candidates for the House of Representatives seat at any given time. Such informal agreements, though not legally binding, often carry significant weight in local politics and are frequently invoked by aspirants to justify their candidacy or challenge opponents ahead of elections.
At the centre of this dispute is a document said to date back to 2019, purportedly setting out a rotation arrangement for the Bende seat, which has been linked to Labour Party candidate Anyaso's bid for 2027. The traditional rulers' disavowal, with allegations of forgery, raises questions about the document's authenticity and origin, and could affect the credibility of any rotation-based claim to the seat. Both ThisDay and Vanguard report the rulers' denial in similar terms, though neither account yet specifies who allegedly produced the document, the rulers' proposed next steps, or how the Labour Party and Anyaso have responded to the forgery allegation.