The resignation of Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu’s aide and his decision to back the LP candidate adds another political twist to the contest for the Bende Federal Constituency seat.
A personal assistant to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives has resigned from his position and declared support for Labour Party (LP) candidate Chima Anyaso ahead of the 2027 National Assembly election in Abia State.
In the letter addressed to Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu through the secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development of the National Assembly, Mr Nwankwo cited the forthcoming general election as the reason for his decision.
“I wish to formally inform you that I have resigned my position as your personal assistant. This decision is necessary to avoid a conflict of interest, as we go into the general elections (in 2027),” Mr Nwankwo wrote.
He added: “I also want to use this medium to thank you for finding me worthy to serve you in that capacity, a gesture I do not take for granted.”
Mr Okoro, who posted a copy of the letter on Facebook, wrote: “For your information, Mr Nwankwo resigned as an appointee of the deputy speaker on 8 May 2026.”
He added: “In 2027, we have decided to support Chima Anyaso.”
Mr Anyaso is the LP’s candidate for the Bende Federal Constituency seat currently occupied by Mr Kalu.
PREMIUM TIMES called one of the telephone numbers on the letterhead shared on Facebook.
The person who answered confirmed that the resignation letter was authentic and that Mr Nwankwo had indeed resigned from Mr Kalu’s office. However, the individual repeatedly declined to identify himself.
“The person’s name on the letterhead is my staff. I have told you he resigned, and you are asking for the name of the person,” he said.
A Truecaller search identified the phone number as belonging to Ugochukwu Nwankwo.
A review of Mr Nwankwo’s Facebook page also showed that he has begun criticising his former boss.
In one of his posts, he accused individuals working for the deputy speaker of creating dozens of fake Facebook accounts to boost Mr Kalu’s popularity online.
“The race for who represents Bende Federal Constituency has begun, and it is quite worrisome and unfortunate that the camp of my brother and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, has chosen the path of self-deceit and make-believe!” he wrote.
He further said: “The Facebook accounts accompanying this post are fake accounts created to retain support for a sitting House of Reps member and control the narrative on social media.”
Mr Nwankwo questioned why such accounts would be necessary “if Mr Kalu has done so well and is confident that he will be re-elected.”
“The reality stares them in the face. Real humans in Bende have left them!” he added.
PREMIUM TIMES contacted the Deputy Speaker’s spokesperson, Levinus Nwabughiogu, for a response to Mr Nwankwo’s allegations. Mr Nwabughiogu requested that the questions be sent to him via WhatsApp. The questions were subsequently sent, but he had yet to respond as of the time this report was filed.
Mr Nwankwo’s resignation comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections in Abia State.
Last month, LP leaders adopted businessman Mr Anyaso as the party’s consensus candidate for the Bende Federal Constituency seat during the party’s primary election. The exercise also produced Alex Otti and Enyinnaya Abaribe as consensus candidates for the governorship and Abia South Senatorial District, respectively.
Mr Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency, is seeking a third term after securing the APC ticket at the party primary.
His earlier interest in the governorship race created division within the APC in Abia. While a group of APC leaders endorsed him for the governorship, another faction rejected the endorsement, insisting that no individual should be imposed as the party’s candidate.
The disagreement later widened after the Abia APC reversed an earlier zoning arrangement for its governorship ticket, declaring the contest open to aspirants from all parts of the state.
Against that backdrop, the resignation of Mr Kalu’s aide and his decision to back the LP candidate adds another political twist to the contest for the Bende Federal Constituency seat.
