A civil society group called the Igbo Mandate Movement Group has denounced a petition against Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, calling it “frivolous, mischievous, and politically motivated.”

The group claimed the action is the most recent in a long-running campaign to damage the public image and political career of one of the most well-known politicians in the South-East.
Written by Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins, a former First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association, the petition was sent to the National Youth Service Corps and the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee, asking for a review of documents pertaining to Kalu’s national service history and professional credentials.

Igbo Mandate Movement Group claimed in a press release issued by its National Coordinator, Igboeli Arinze Napoleon, that the petition is part of a pattern of credential problems that have followed Kalu throughout his career. Opponents claimed he had never graduated from the University of Calabar when he was nominated as a Commissioner in Abia State. This was refuted when Kalu later earned an LL.M. and a Ph.D. from the same university and gave its 50th Anniversary Convocation Lecture. When he ran for office to represent the Bende Federal Constituency, it was initially claimed that he had completely avoided NYSC service. After that was refuted, the accusations changed to allegations that his NYSC certificate was a fake, which needed to be officially refuted with a letter from Brigadier General Y.D. Ahmed, the NYSC Director-General at the time. The group declared that “the same forces of retrogression have returned with yet another iteration of the same discredited narrative.”

The organization presented the facts of Kalu’s 2010 service year in order to address the main points of the current petition. Although he received his degree from the University of Calabar in 1998, the Nigerian Law School, which at the time had just two campuses in Lagos and Abuja, was unable to quickly accommodate the large number of eligible graduates. Many law grads had to wait years for admittance due to the ensuing backlog. While waiting to obtain additional credentials, Kalu took a trip overseas. He served at the Chairman’s office after being mobilized for NYSC in 2010 and assigned to the Enugu North Local Government Area. He was awarded the Citizenship and Leadership Award, became a Platoon Leader, and engaged enthusiastically in camp activities.

By a stunning coincidence, he received his long-awaited admission to law school at the same time, which put him at the Enugu Campus in Agbani, only thirty minutes from his NYSC position. When given the option to either postpone admission and wait an additional three to four years or to terminate his NYSC service in violation of the NYSC Act, he decided to fulfill both duties at the same time. His main task timetable was set up so that he could complete his LGA responsibilities before going to law school. He was one of only three students chosen to be a member of the research team of the then-Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, the distinguished Professor Ernest Ojukwu, because he was so academically exceptional, met all weekly and monthly NYSC clearance requirements, and exceeded the required 70% Law School attendance threshold.

On the legal issue, the group contended that any NYSC rulings that critics attempt to use are of a prospective character; they specify what “shall not” be done in the future and cannot be applied retroactively to Kalu’s 2010 service. The statement stated, “Laws are not retroactive in nature.”

“Such statements are not legally binding and would not withstand examination in an affidavit taken under oath.” The group went on to say that a call to the bar is a professional qualification and that, with complete NYSC knowledge, corps members all throughout Nigeria often obtain professional certifications in project management, management, cybersecurity, and accounting during their service year.

In addition to supporting Kalu, the organization called for immediate policy changes in the statement. Years still pass between graduation and admission to law school for thousands of Nigerian law graduates. The group maintained that Kalu’s experience, both in 2010 and now, when it is being used against him, reveals a systemic flaw that necessitates a legislative solution. This response should guarantee that law graduates can enroll in the Law School on time and that legal profession corps members are not penalized for acting pro-actively and in good faith while navigating a dysfunctional system.

The message closed by saying, “Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu deserves commendation — not condemnation.”

The organization urged the NYSC and LPDC to show the petition the disdain it merits.