Udora Orizu writes that the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu’s stakeholders’ engagement across Bende Federal Constituency in Abia state has become a defining feature of his representation, deepening the relationship between the lawmaker and the people he serves. In politics, the loudest applause may come from a rally, but the truest verdict is often heard in the quiet conversations between a leader and his people. Across Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, those conversations have been taking place, but not on a campaign podium, but in palaces, churches, community halls, village squares and meetings with the people. For Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, the journey towards 2027 has begun in an unusual place: with the people, before the politics. As he winds down his ward-to-ward “MeetMyConstituentsConsultations”, Kalu has been visiting the wards that make up the federal constituency he represents, meeting the people whose mandate placed him in the National Assembly and whose verdict will ultimately determine whether he returns. But this has been more than a tour. It has been a conversation. A conversation with traditional rulers and clergy. With presidents-general, community leaders, women and youths, vigilante groups and commercial motorcycle operators. With the men and women whose daily experiences provide the most authentic measure of what representation means beyond the walls of the National Assembly. From Bende to Ozuitem, Uzuakoli to Itumbauzo, Umuhu Ezechi to Umuimenyi Nkpa, Item, Igbere, Alayi and other wards, Kalu has encountered a constituency willing to speak and willing to listen. What has emerged from those encounters is striking. Again and again, stakeholders have pointed to projects, interventions, visibility and the unusual national influence that has accompanied Kalu’s rise to the position of Deputy Speaker. And many have urged him to seek another term in 2027. But beneath the endorsements lies something more profound, Trust!! Trust built over time. Trust tested through performance. And as the consultations draw to a close, one message has resonated across Bende: The people have seen the journey, they have heard the story, and for many of them, they are asking Kalu to continue it. Traditional Rulers: A Strong Vote of Confidence One of the clearest indications of the mood emerging from the consultations came from the Bende South State Constituency (Ikwuisi) Traditional Rulers Council. The royal fathers, led by the Chairman of the Council, Eze Uchendu Okorie, Ekwo II of Akaekwo Uzuakoli, declared their support for Kalu’s third-term bid and dismissed claims of an existing zoning arrangement that would prevent him from seeking another term. Their argument was straightforward: performance should matter. Eze Okorie commended Kalu for what he described as impressive representation and developmental strides across Bende, declaring that Uzuakoli and the wards of Bende were behind him. The monarch went further, urging Kalu to remain courageous and focused. Another traditional ruler, Eze P.C. Onyegbu, challenged the zoning narrative, arguing that there had been no binding arrangement of the kind being circulated by some interests. -Orizu, Media Aide to House Deputy Speaker, writes from Bende, Abia State More importantly, he anchored his position on performance. He argued that Kalu had distinguished himself through projects, legislative representation, oversight, networking and the ability to attract federal attention and development to the constituency. That observation captures one of the central arguments surrounding Kalu’s leadership. The office of a legislator, particularly one who has risen to the position of Deputy Speaker, comes with the opportunity to build relationships beyond the constituency. Those relationships can become channels through which federal institutions, projects and opportunities reach local communities. For the traditional rulers, therefore, Kalu’s position at the national level is not simply a matter of prestige. It is an opportunity they believe should continue to benefit Bende. Eze Patrick Udeh of Bende similarly expressed confidence in Kalu, insisting that the Deputy Speaker had continued to make Bende and the wider Igbo community proud. The message from the traditional institution was unmistakable: continuity, in their view, is tied to performance.. Umunna Endorsement and Politics of Performance The position of the Umunna Traditional Rulers Council reinforced the same narrative. Comprising traditional rulers from Item, Alayi, Igbere and Ezeukwu communities, the council also expressed support for Kalu’s return to the House of Representatives. At the palace of Eze Kalu Okorie Ezeu
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