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By Tracy Moses
A civil society group, the Coalition for Good Governance and Grassroots Development, has called on the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, to address lingering questions over alleged inconsistencies in his academic and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) records.
The group also urged the Nigerian Law School, NYSC, and the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee to provide clarity over what it described as unresolved questions surrounding Kalu’s service year and legal training.
The controversy centers on allegations that Kalu, who was admitted into the Nigerian Law School under the name Benjamin Okezie Osisiogu, may have violated regulations requiring full-time engagement in either national service or legal training.
NYSC regulations mandate that corps members undertake a continuous one-year service, while Nigerian Law School rules prohibit students from engaging in employment or national service during their study period.
According to public records, Kalu allegedly received an NYSC discharge certificate covering March 9, 2010, to March 8, 2011, while the same period reportedly coincided with his attendance at the Nigerian Law School. The coalition claims this overlap raises questions about the legality and authenticity of his participation in both programs simultaneously.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, the President of the coalition, Dominic Ogakwu, emphasized that the group’s intervention was driven by the need for transparency and accountability, not political considerations.
He stated, “It is pertinent to remind you all that the Bible instructs us that ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.’ Also, the 1999 Constitution as amended says in Chapter 1(1) that its provisions shall have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout Nigeria.”
Ogakwu added, “We do not impute any crime, but we demand clarity as to how Mr. Kalu could have fulfilled two mutually exclusive obligations at the same time. Either he did not complete the NYSC Service Year, or he never fully attended the Nigerian Law School.”
The coalition urged Kalu to step aside pending investigation and called on relevant authorities to publicly verify his records. “Let the NYSC and Nigerian Law School come clean on their records. The Deputy Speaker himself should demonstrate the moral high ground by clarifying these allegations,” Ogakwu said.
The group warned that it would take further action, including mobilizing at the National Assembly, if the authorities failed to respond within 72 hours.
Kalu Kicks
The Office of the Deputy Speaker, however, dismissed the allegations as unsubstantiated and politically motivated. In a statement released by Levinus Nwabughiogu, Chief Press Secretary, the office said Kalu’s credentials have been verified by competent authorities.
The statement read in part, “The Deputy Speaker has never forged any credentials or falsified any official record. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in September 2011 and enrolled as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of Nigeria following due verification processes.
Allegations raised during previous political contests in 2023 were dismissed after affirmation of his credentials.”
The office urged the public to allow statutory institutions to handle petitions in accordance with due process, stating, “Nigeria remains a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law.
Allegations must be investigated by appropriate authorities rather than adjudicated through press conferences and media trials.”