Newz— Camp denies signing MoU, alleges forgery By Steve Oko UMUAHIA — The third-term ambition of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has run into fresh controversy as traditional rulers in Bende, Abia State, insist on a 2019 power-rotation agreement that his campaign organisation has dismissed as a forgery. More than 27 traditional rulers from communities across Bende Federal Constituency reaffirmed the purported Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at a meeting in Igbere on Friday, while Kalu’s campaign Director-General, Rev. Emmanuel Trumps Eke, denied that he or his principal signed the document.
The monarchs said the agreement was designed to promote equitable representation and peaceful coexistence between the Umunna and Ikwu-Isii blocs. According to the document presented to journalists, the House of Representatives seat would rotate between Bende North (Umunna) and Bende South (Ikwu-Isii), with each bloc entitled to two consecutive four-year terms. The arrangement, which took effect from the 2019 electoral cycle, gave Ikwu-Isii the first opportunity, followed by Umunna.
Reading the document, HRH Eze Ebiri Oteri Okoro of Ohumola Autonomous Community, Igbere, said the pact remained relevant to political stability and fairness in the constituency. Article 3 provides that the seat “shall rotate equitably” between the two blocs, while Article 4 stipulates that Ikwu-Isii would go first, after which the opportunity would pass to Umunna. The document, however, recognises the constitutional right of qualified citizens to contest elections and the right of voters to choose their representatives.
Camp disowns document Reacting, Eke described the MoU as “false and an outright fabrication”, alleging inconsistencies in its dates, contents and signatures. He questioned why two documents purportedly relating to the same agreement bore the dates January 19 and February 4, 2019. He further alleged that the first page was lifted from a letter he and Kalu wrote to Bende stakeholders in 2019 seeking their support, but that its original contents had been removed and replaced.
Eke also claimed that Eze Onuoha Akaliro, Eze Jerry Akpala Igwe and Eze Patrick Ude told him they neither signed nor witnessed the document. He maintained that no agreement on tenure or political rotation had been reached between Kalu and any group, arguing that zoning should be d… By Steve Oko The third-term ambition of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, may face a fresh political challenge following the reaffirmation of a 2019 zoning agreement by traditional rulers in Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State.
More than 27 traditional rulers from communities across the constituency gathered in Igbere on Friday to publicly present the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), insisting that the agreement, which provides for the rotation of the House of Representatives seat between the Umunna and Ikwu-Isii blocs, remained valid. The monarchs said the arrangement was designed to promote fairness, equitable representation and peaceful coexistence between the two blocs. Under the agreement, Bende South, comprising the Ikwu-Isii bloc, was to occupy the seat for two consecutive four-year terms beginning with the 2019 electoral cycle, after which the opportunity would rotate to Bende North, comprising Umunna.
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