The Labour Party (LP) candidate for Bende Federal Constituency in the upcoming 2027 general election, China Anyaso, has pointed to a 2019 power-sharing agreement to justify his candidacy, while promising that the state administration will ensure secure and untampered elections across Abia State.
While addressing constituents on fairness and zoning, Anyaso recalled an agreement reached at the palace of Eze Patrick Ude in Bende in 2019. Stakeholders had resolved that the federal constituency seat should rotate between the Bende North and Bende South political blocs once the incumbent completed their tenure.
Arguing that equity demands the seat return to Bende North, Anyaso likened the informal agreement to binding political pacts, drawing an analogy to his support for President Bola Tinubu serving two terms before power shifts regionally.
“In America, a handshake is an agreement. We agreed in 2019 that after eight years, it will come back to us. Our people are not people you can easily deceive,” he stated.
Pointing to his private sector background and community service, Anyaso insisted he would not disappoint the constituency. He highlighted over two decades of clean business dealings in oil and gas, real estate, and hospitality.
On his philanthropic work, he noted that he established a nursery school for the Ndebende community at age 26, which later expanded to include a primary school.
“Since 2008 till today, we have been training over 500 children for free. They don’t pay a dime. It is there and verifiable,” Anyaso said.
The assurances came during a Sunday stakeholders’ meeting where Anyaso pledged that the LP administration, under Governor Alex Otti, remains committed to transparent and credible polls supported by robust security measures.
He cited Governor Otti’s tough stance against vote rigging while warning against attempts to manipulate electoral outcomes;
“I’m speaking on behalf of Governor Alex Otti that there will be no rigging of elections anywhere in Abia State come the 2027 general election. Anybody, like the governor said, that is planning to write the election should go and write his will first. There will be no writing of election results in Abia State.”
He assured voters that whilst candidates will aggressively canvas for support, the state government will protect the electorate and guarantee that every lawful vote counts.
“There will be adequate security to protect our votes. Do not be scared of anybody calling himself whatever number. Two is bigger than one,” he told the crowd.
Anyaso also brushed off allegations linking him to recent budget allocation controversies, remarking, “That which God has destined and whose time has come, nobody can stop it.”
Closing his address, he urged constituents to remain peaceful, stay aligned with Governor Otti’s administration, and work towards securing victories for LP candidates across the state in 20