• Super Admin
• 06 Mar, 2026

A coalition of Civil Society groups led by the Abuja-based Civil Society Groups For Good Governance (CSGGG) on Friday issued the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, a 3-day ultimatum, to clear the air on the recent controversy surrounding his Nigerian Law School and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates. The coalition announced at a media briefing held in Abuja that it would stage a major protest at the National Assembly should the Deputy Speaker fail to give satisfactory answers to the questions around his Law School and NYSC certificates after the expiration of the ultimatum. President of CSGGG, Chief Dominic Ogakwu, who addressed the press on behalf of the coalition, stated that Nigerians, the Nigerian Law School and the NYSC should be concerned that an individual being accused of presenting documents that have raised suspicion is yet to speak on the credibility or otherwise of his certificates. He said: "We do not impute any crime, yet, rather we demand clarity as to the possibility of Rt. Hon. Kalu, after swearing two oaths, one with the NYSC and the other with the Nigerian Law School that he will abide faithfully and wholly with the demands of the Service Year and the rigours of the Law School still carry out two functions which are mutually exclusive and not be held for perjury and for violating the rules and regulations of NYSC and the Nigerian Law School. We shall return to the matter presently. "Rt. Hon. Kalu swore on oath as required by the NYSC Act Section 2(3) that he will engage in a continuous one-year national service. We therefore wonder how "statutorily possible" it was for him to engage in any lawful endeavor such as the Law School and partake in full-time academic training at the same time. Fishy! "It is also instructive to note that under the Nigerian Law School Policy, a very strict policy at that, students are prohibited from serving as corps members during their period of study. You may wish to note that our Dear Deputy Speaker, was admitted into the Nigerian Law School under the name Benjamin Okezie Osisiogu before effecting a change of name, three times actually has he changed his name, solemnly declared on April 23, 2010 that he was not and would not engage in employment or participate in the NYSC during his course of study. Ogakwu also expressed concern about the discrepancies in the names on the Deputy Speaker's certificates, even as he wondered how Kalu could have qualified for both certificates in the same year. He added: "From available records, he swore as follows; "I, Mr. Benjamin Okezie Osisiogu of 76 Factory Road, Umuahia, Abia State hereby declare on my honour that I am not and will not be engaged in any employment nor serve in the National Youth Service Corps during the period of my course at the Nigerian Law School." "If he swore on oath twice, the germane question is: How did he come by his NYSC Discharge Certificate No. A001773067 allegedly issued on March 8, 2011 and at the same time of March 9, 2010 to March 8, 2011 when he was supposedly at the Law School? "Only one of two scenarios can apply: either he did not participate fully in the NYSC Service Year, or he never attended the Nigerian Law School to qualify him to be enrolled into the Bar. It is this reason we demand for clarity and accountability from Kalu himself, the NYSC and the Nigerian Law School and Council of Legal Education". Okagwu listed the coalition's demands, including the Deputy Speaker stepping aside while the House of Representatives, the Nigerian Law School, and the NYSC investigate the allegations against Kalu and announce the results of their investigations. Other demands include that the Deputy Speaker show proof that he didn't combine his NYSC and Law School education in the same year. He added: "We are duty-bound to demand of those we call our leaders the highest probity. To expect less is to set a dangerous example for the youths of this country. It is common for us to tell the younger ones not to cheat, to obey the law and work hard, but it is easy to condone those who by alleged crockery ascend the perch of power? No! We should be intolerant towards such characters. "We are committed to following this to the letter and will occupy the NASS if after 72 hours the various authorities do not act". Vanguard had reported that a former First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins, petitioned the Legal Practitioners' Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), alleging what he described as "fraudulent enrolment" on the Roll of Legal Practitioners maintained at the Supreme Court of Nigeria. In separate letters sent to the two bodies, Aikpokpo-Martins asked the authorities to scrutinise issues he said arose from publicly available information concerning Kalu's period at the Nigerian Law School and his NYSC service year. According to the correspondence, the former NBA official urged the LPDC to determine whether all statutory requirements had been met before Kalu's admission to the Roll of Legal Practitioners at the Supreme Court. Source: https://www.nationalaccordnewspaper.com/civil-society-coalition-issues-reps-deputy-speaker-72-hour-ultimatum-to-speak-on-law-school-nysc-certificates-controversy/