Labour Party’s candidate for the Bende Federal Constituency in the 2027 general election, China Anyaso, has assured residents that the polls in Abia State will be conducted without manipulation, saying adequate security measures would be put in place to safeguard voters and the integrity of the electoral process.

Anyaso gave the assurance on Sunday during a stakeholders’ meeting, where he said the administration of Governor Alex Otti remained committed to ensuring free, fair and credible elections across the state.

Speaking on behalf of the governor, the Labour Party candidate said there would be no room for electoral malpractice during the 2027 polls, stressing that every valid vote would count.

He urged residents not to be intimidated by any individual or group, expressing confidence that security agencies would provide the necessary protection throughout the election period.

Anyaso also pledged to deliver effective representation if elected, pointing to his years of experience in the oil and gas, real estate and hospitality sectors, where he said he had maintained a record of successful business dealings spanning more than two decades.

Highlighting his community development efforts, he said he established a nursery school in Ndebende at the age of 26 before expanding it into a primary school, adding that the institution has continued to provide free education to more than 500 children since 2008.

On the issue of zoning, Anyaso recalled an agreement reached by stakeholders in 2019 that the Bende Federal Constituency seat would rotate between the Bende South and Bende North political blocs after the current occupant completes an eight-year tenure.

He argued that respecting the arrangement was necessary to promote fairness and equity, drawing a parallel with his support for President Bola Tinubu completing two terms before power shifts to another region.

The Labour Party candidate also dismissed allegations linking him to recent controversies surrounding budget allocations, insisting that such claims would not affect his political aspirations.

He called on residents to remain peaceful, continue supporting Governor Otti’s administration and work towards the success of Labour Party candidates in the 2027 general election.

Responding at the meeting, the traditional ruler of Igbere and Third Deputy Chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Eze Uwakwe Ukaegbu, confirmed that traditional rulers in Bende Local Government Area had endorsed the return of the federal constituency seat to the Bende North (Umunna) bloc after the completion of the current tenure of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu.

According to the monarch, the rotational arrangement was agreed upon and endorsed by traditional rulers across the constituency in 2019 as a way of ensuring equitable representation between the Bende South and Bende North blocs.