Picture: Dr Chimaobi Desmond Anyaso
Every election presents an opportunity for citizens to look beyond political parties, personalities, endorsements and campaign rhetoric and ask a fundamental question: what kind of leadership and representation does the people truly need?
For the people of Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State, the 2027 election offers another opportunity to examine the quality, competence, character, capacity and track record of those seeking to represent them at the National Assembly.
It is against this background that the political aspiration and public record of Dr. Chimaobi Desmond Anyaso, popularly known as OFUJI of the Labour Party, deserve serious consideration.
One of the most credible ways to assess anyone seeking public office is to examine what the person has done before seeking political power. In Dr. Anyaso’s case, his engagement with communities predates his current political ambition.
Over the years, he has been associated with interventions in education, healthcare, youth development, women empowerment, entrepreneurship and community support through philanthropic initiatives connected with him.
That record provides something more substantial than campaign promises. While politics is often about what a candidate says he intends to do, a person’s previous interventions can offer an indication of the values, priorities and commitment that may guide him when entrusted with greater responsibility.
From Charity to Sustainable Empowerment
There has been considerable discussion about Dr. Anyaso’s generosity and reputation for welcoming and supporting people.
But beyond personal generosity, Bende requires an economic system that enables families to produce, earn and live sustainably.
The constituency has farmers, fertile land and enormous agricultural potential. What is required is a deliberate effort to move agriculture from subsistence to productivity by connecting farmers to financing, modern inputs, storage facilities, transportation, processing and reliable markets.
Young people should also be encouraged to participate in the entire agricultural value chain, not only as farmers but as processors, distributors, aggregators, entrepreneurs and operators of technology-driven agricultural businesses.
A representative who understands these realities should be able to identify federal programmes, agencies and legislative opportunities that can be deployed to strengthen agriculture and create sustainable economic opportunities.
This is where Dr. Anyaso’s experience in empowerment becomes relevant.
Giving someone food or money may provide immediate relief, but creating opportunities through which that person can earn a sustainable income offers a more enduring form of empowerment.
Education as an Investment in Bende’s Future
Education is another area where Dr. Anyaso’s philanthropic record deserves attention.
The Ahuoma Anyaso Education Foundation has operated a tuition-free nursery and primary school in Igbere, Bende Local Government Area, for about 19 years. The school provides education and support to children, including learning materials, uniforms and staff-related assistance.
The intervention is significant because education remains one of the most effective tools for breaking the cycle of poverty.
When a child from a less-privileged family receives quality education, the benefits can extend beyond the child to the family and, ultimately, the wider community.
For Bende, where a large youthful population represents both a challenge and an opportunity, investment in education should remain at the centre of any serious development agenda.
The question, therefore, is how such private philanthropic experience can be translated into broader public advocacy.
A federal representative should be able to identify opportunities in federal education programmes, scholarship schemes, vocational institutions, skills-acquisition initiatives and other interventions and ensure that Bende receives its fair share.
Healthcare: From Intervention to Systemic Development
The same principle applies to healthcare.
Dr. Anyaso and his foundation have been involved in free medical interventions, including medical outreaches designed to bring healthcare services closer to people who may otherwise struggle to afford or access them.
Such interventions have included eye care, medications, consultations and referrals.
While philanthropy cannot replace a functional public healthcare system, it demonstrates an understanding of the challenges confronting many rural communities.
For residents who live far from specialist facilities in Umuahia or cannot easily afford medical services, even basic healthcare intervention can make a significant difference.
The next step should therefore be to pursue stronger healthcare infrastructure, federal medical programmes, specialist services, improved primary healthcare and targeted interventions for vulnerable populations.
A representative should not merely distribute assistance; he should use the opportunities available through the Federal Government to help build systems that reduce the need for emergency assistance in the first place.
Women and Youth at the Heart of Development
Women are central to the economic life of Bende, particularly through petty trading, agriculture, food processing and small-scale businesses.
Any development agenda that ignores women cannot adequately address the economic realities of the constituency.
In 2026, 100 women traders in Bende reportedly received ₦200,000 each through an empowerment intervention of the Chima Anyaso Foundation to support their businesses.
The same attention must be given to young people.
Youth empowerment should not be reduced to occasional gifts or political appointments.
Bende needs a system that equips young people with relevant skills, connects them to opportunities and enables them to become employers and wealth creators rather than perpetual dependants on political structures.
Dr. Anyaso’s experience with empowerment initiatives could provide practical insight into some of the challenges confronting small businesses, young entrepreneurs and vulnerable groups.
The responsibility of political representation, however, would be to take that experience to a broader level through legislation, advocacy and federal programmes.
Bende Deserves Quality Infrastructure
Infrastructure is another area where the people of Bende must insist on quality.
Dr. Anyaso has spoken about the need to engage major engineering companies such as Julius Berger. The fundamental principle should be straightforward: Bende deserves infrastructure capable of standing the test of time.
Where roads and other public projects deteriorate shortly after completion, the people are the ultimate victims.
Mentioning major engineering firms should not mean that indigenous contractors must be excluded. On the contrary, competent local companies should be encouraged and supported to develop the financial, technical and managerial capacity required to compete for major projects.
However, local participation must never become an excuse for poor workmanship.
The decisive consideration should always be whether a contractor has the capacity to deliver a project according to the required specifications.
If a major project requires a large engineering firm because of its technical complexity, Bende should not be denied quality infrastructure in the name of political correctness.
At the same time, whenever a major contractor comes into Bende, the benefits should not end when construction equipment leaves.
A serious representative should ask: How many Bende youths will be employed? How many local businesses will provide services? How many artisans will acquire new skills? How many local suppliers will participate?
That is the difference between merely attracting a project and using a project as an instrument of economic development.
Beyond Awards: The Record of Service
Dr. Anyaso’s philanthropic activities have also attracted recognition from various organisations, including the African Achievers Award, Democracy Youth Icon of the Year Award and other community and humanitarian honours.
More recently, he was honoured by the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria with a “Beacon of Hope and Love” Award in recognition of his humanitarian and community-development efforts.
Awards alone should never be used as proof that anyone will make a good politician. An award cannot replace competence, accountability or performance.
But when recognitions are connected to a sustained record of humanitarian and community interventions, they become part of the information voters can examine when assessing a candidate’s history of service.
The more important question, therefore, is not how many awards Dr. Anyaso has received, but what did he do to earn them?
That is where public scrutiny should be directed.
From Philanthropy to Effective Representation
The biggest question before Dr. Anyaso, like every other aspirant seeking to represent Bende, is how experience outside government can translate into effective legislative representation.
A philanthropist can respond directly to people’s needs, while a federal legislator operates through laws, oversight, advocacy, constituency projects and engagement with federal institutions.
Yet philanthropy can provide valuable experience. It exposes a person to the realities of poverty, healthcare challenges, educational disadvantage, unemployment and the struggles of small businesses.
The challenge is to convert that experience into policies and programmes capable of benefiting a much larger population.
That is why the debate about Bende’s next representative should go beyond personal wealth.
The office of a member of the House of Representatives is not simply a platform for distributing personal resources or pursuing private interests. It is an institution through which the interests of an entire constituency are presented, defended and advanced at the federal level.
The representative must be able to engage ministries, departments and agencies, understand legislation and oversight, pursue constituency interventions and navigate federal programmes.
Above all, the representative must remain connected to the people whose mandate he carries.
The Choice Before Ndi Bende
Bende is not short of talented people.
It has farmers, professionals, entrepreneurs, traders, artisans, students, civil servants and young people with enormous potential.
What the constituency requires is an environment where that potential can be converted into opportunity.
The debate should therefore not be reduced to who has the largest political structure or who can make the loudest promises.
The people deserve to examine the history, competence, ideas and capacity of everyone seeking their support.
In Dr. Chimaobi Desmond Anyaso, there is a record of philanthropy that predates the current political contest—a record spanning education, healthcare, women empowerment, youth development and community interventions.
The ultimate test will be whether his experience, resources, networks and understanding can be transformed into effective representation for Bende.
Those backing the OFUJI project believe the answer is a resounding yes.
Bende deserves a representative who understands that a mandate is not an inheritance; it is a responsibility.
It deserves someone who understands that political office should not become a permanent means of livelihood, but an opportunity to serve, create opportunities and leave the constituency stronger than it was found.
The people of Bende are demanding more: quality infrastructure, better educational opportunities, stronger healthcare, agricultural development, youth empowerment, support for women and small businesses, greater access to federal programmes and transparent representation.
And that is why the record, experience and proposed vision of Dr. Chimaobi Desmond Anyaso (OFUJI) of the Labour Party have become central to the emerging political conversation across the 13 wards of Bende Local Government Area.
In summary, the argument from his supporters is clear: it is the turn of the Umunna Bloc; it is the time of Dr. Chima Anyaso; and come 2027, the Labour Party will seek to win the Bende Federal Constituency seat.
Promise Uzoma Okoro is the Director of Media and Publicity of the Chima Anyaso Campaign Organization.
Tags: #Bende2027 #ChimaAnyaso #OFUJI #LabourParty
