The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Benjamin Kalu, has organised free UTME registration for undergraduates in his Bende constituency, courtesy of the Benjamin Kalu Foundation.
The community project titled ” Education for Peace in the South East ” looks to provide free UTME examination registration for all eligible youths in Bende Federal constituency. The application exercise is scheduled to run from February 2 to February 10, offering an Eight-day window for eligible candidates.
Interested students are encouraged to register at the Constituency office, No. 10 Uzuakoli – Ozuitem, Igbere road, Uzuakoli, Bende Local Government Area, Abia State. The development marks the second time the deputy speaker has invested in Abia State’s education sector, following his role in the siting of the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences in Umuhu, Bende Local Government Area.
The gesture also follows Christmas giveaways by Kalu, including bags of rice and vegetable oil, to members of his constituency during the yuletide. This was followed by a Solar Power project in his Bende constituency, which he lamented is not feeling the effect of the power reforms by the Otti administration.
The Deputy Speaker, who is a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, is rumoured to be eying the highest office in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Benjamin Kalu Leading APC’s Abia State Strategy
The lawmaker has carried out various major political moves in the state bordering on grassroots mobilisation, regional peace initiatives, and a direct challenge to the incumbent Labour Party (LP) administration of Governor Alex Otti.
He has positioned himself as the de facto leader of the opposition in Abia, openly criticising Governor Alex Otti’s administration. Last year, at an event in Umuahia, he stated that the APC would take over the state in 2027. He argues that Otti’s performance was not commensurate with the federal allocations received.
In a surprising turn of political horsetrading. Kalu openly invited Alex Otti, the sitting governor of Abia state and Labour Party man, to join the APC. He urged him to drive the state towards the centre.
Despite Kalu’s bold moves, the lawmaker has denied his intention to run for office. However, he didn’t rule out the possibility, saying the decision must come from the party, not him.
Kalu remains a dominant figure in the House of Representatives and a regional force for the ruling party. His recent philanthropic gestures lend credence to speculation that he might be preparing to run for the Abia state governorship.
Locations for Benjamin Kalu Free Jamb Registration
The management of the Education for Peace Initiative, run by the Benjamin Kalu Foundation, released accredited locations for students to access free UTME registration.
The chosen locations were mostly rural, bringing the initiative closest to those who need it most.
The Education for Peace Initiative is a flagship program of the Benjamin Kalu administration’s Peace in the Southeast Initiative. The initiative aims to provide free registration for 5,000 students in Abia State. The locations are as follows.
- JAMB State Office, Ubakala, Umuahia
- Amiable Computers, Old Timber Road, Umuahia
- Engr. Chuks CBT Centre, School of Health Technology, Aba
- CBT Centre, Okagwe Road, Okoko Item, Bende LGA.
Benjamin Kalu is rumoured to be interested in the 2027 Abia gubernatorial race. He leads the ruling APC party’s interest in the state.
Although he has denied this several times, he stated that the decision will have to come from his party. He is up against the Labour Party’s Alex Otti, who still remains the favourite to retain his position in 2027.
