- By Chibuisi Mba
The pictures and stories coming out of Igbere this week tell one story, and only one: the people have made up their minds.
When Chima Anyaso returned home to Igbere, he did not meet empty chairs or paid crowds. He met elders, youths, women, men, and his own traditional ruler, HRM Eze Anyanta, waiting with kola and wine.
They offered prayers, blessings, and a very clear fatherly endorsement. From there, the walk to the village square was not a rally. It was a procession of unity.
That matters. In politics, you can manufacture posters. You can pay for noise. You cannot manufacture that kind of organic acceptance.
A referendum on 8 years
Anyaso was blunt about why he is in this race. For the last 8 years, Bende Federal Constituency has, in his words, suffered from bad representation and leadership. Whether you agree with every detail or not, the frustration in communities across Bende is real. Roads, youth empowerment, access to federal presence, and a voice that actually answers the phone — these are the things people talk about at markets and town halls, not Abuja politics.
Anyaso is positioning himself as the reset button. Not with insults, but with what he called “the truth unfolding before everyone’s eyes.”
People vs Propaganda
His most important line was this: “Sometimes, the best response to propaganda is not another argument; it is the truth unfolding before everyone’s eyes.”
That is the right framing for this season. Voters in Bende are tired of division for political convenience. They are tired of being told who to support while their daily realities stay the same. The Igbere reception was a direct rebuttal to any attempt to speak “for” the community against the community.
His appeal was also deliberate: peaceful, democratic, and with dignity. “To anyone seeking to speak for our community against the collective choice of our people, I respectfully say: please respect the voice, dignity and decision of Ndi Igbere.”
This is our time
“This is our time. This is our turn. And together, we will defend it with our votes.” That is not arrogance. That is ownership.
Leadership in a federal constituency is not about one man. It is about whether the people feel seen. On the day Igbere rolled out the drums, the message was clear. They feel seen by Anyaso, and they are ready to go with him.
The work now is to translate that goodwill into votes, and then into results. Bende does not need more promises. It needs representation that shows up.
IGBERE has spoken. The rest of Bende is watching. And come election day, the ballot will do the talking.
