John Nwaigwe
The Fraud in Bende That No One Is Talking About
By Razor Gabriel
What is Fraud?
Fraud occurs when a person who has been entrusted with money or assets intentionally diverts them for unauthorized purposes, deceiving the rightful owners for personal gain.
As another election season begins across Nigeria, particularly in Abia State and Bende Federal Constituency, there are critical issues that demand our attention before we elect our next leaders. We must not be distracted by political theatrics or endless debates about zoning and equity while ignoring the character and integrity of those seeking to manage our collective resources.
The Equity Debate
By now, the people of Bende should be able to distinguish between leaders who honor agreements and demonstrate integrity and those who do not. Rather than focusing solely on whether power should go to Ikwuisii or Umunna, we should ask a more fundamental question: Who has the integrity and capacity to serve the people?
If either an Umunna or an Ikwuisii representative occupies the seat and ensures that the dividends of democracy reach every part of Bende, the debate over equity would naturally lose its relevance—even if one clan held the position for 30 years.
However, when corruption, fraud, and the misappropriation of public resources replace genuine development, the issue of equity inevitably resurfaces. Ideally, this should never be the basis of our political conversations.
Issue-Based Campaigns and the Tracka Revelations
In recent weeks, the people of Bende—and indeed Nigerians—have been confronted with disturbing revelations published by the verified civic accountability platform, Tracka. According to the reports, several constituency projects in Bende are either non-existent, abandoned, or allegedly poorly executed. Among the projects highlighted was the procurement of musical equipment for churches reportedly valued at over one billion.
These allegations have raised serious concerns that deserve public scrutiny. In any society that values accountability, such claims would prompt thorough investigations by the appropriate anti-corruption agencies and robust public oversight.
Shouldn’t the people of Bende be discussing allegations of misappropriation of public funds, abandoned projects, and non-existent projects instead of concentrating almost entirely on the politics of equity?
Shouldn’t our traditional rulers, religious leaders, political stakeholders, and the electorate be asking whether anyone facing such serious public allegations is fit to seek another mandate?
As another election approaches, the conversation should not merely be about where power should go. It should be about accountability, transparency, competence, and the responsible management of public resources.
To be continued.
