The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, was recently cleared of allegations questioning the validity of his enrolment as a legal practitioner and the authenticity of his participation in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, PHILIP NYAM reports
Banana peels in Nigerian parliament refers to the “deliberate, treacherous obstacles, often political, financial, or scandalous traps” placed to cause the downfall of presiding officers. Since the return of democracy in 1999, the proverbial banana peels in the National Assembly have swept away at least three presidents of the Senate, one deputy president of the Senate, a Senate leader and two speakers and a deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.
The first speaker of the Fourth Republic, Salisu Buhari, was the first to taste the bitter pill. After only 49 days in office, he was forced to resign following the confirmation of allegations of certificate forgery and age falsification against him.
His counterpart in the Senate, Evan Enwerem was to follow after five months. He was impeached over allegations of name falsification. Chuba Okadigbo, who succeeded Enwerem could only manage nine months as he was also impeached after allegations of inflation of contract for street lights, overspending on official home furnishing and acceptance of a $200,000 Christmas welfare gift and unauthorised purchase of eight official cars.
Before Okadigbo was impeached, his deputy, Haruna Abubakar and the Senate leader, Samaila Mamman, resigned. The banana peels continued with Adolphus Wabara, who was elected as the president of the Senate in June 2003, but was compelled to resign in March 2005, after then President Olusegun Obasanjo made a nationwide broadcast indicting him and others in a bribery scandal to the tune of N55 million.
The slippery trajectory returned to the House of Representatives in 2007, when the first and only female speaker, Patricia Etteh (June 2007- Nov2007) was forced to resign following allegations of corruption in the N628 million house renovation scandal. She resigned alongside her deputy, Babangida Nguroje. Before then, Speaker Aminu Bello Masari (2003-2007) had survived the banana peels by the whiskers as allegations of certificate forgery against him were inchoate.
Similarly, Speaker Dimeji Bankole (2007-2011) escaped the slippery floor after he had publicly tendered his NYSC discharge certificate to prove that he had completed his national service. The speaker of the 8th House, Yakubu Dogara, also had a taste of the bitter pill, when Abdulmuminu Jibrin levelled allegations of budget padding against him. But Dogara also came out unscathed.
Enters Kalu
The deputy speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, was recently cleared of allegations of forgery. However, like some of his predecessors, Masari, Bankole and Dogara, he survived the hurricane as the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) dismissed a petition against him. In a ruling delivered on March 11, the committee held that no prima facie case was established against Kalu.
The decision, contained in a certified true copy with reference BB/LPDC/1954/2026 and signed by Umeh Kalu (SAN), resolved the matter at the preliminary stage without requiring the respondent to file a defence. After reviewing the submission, the LPDC described the complaint as defective in both form and substance. The panel observed that the Statement of Facts was wrongly addressed to the chairman of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee rather than the LPDC, contrary to its rules.
More significantly, the panel ruled that issues concerning the NYSC, Nigerian Law School, and enrolment processes fall outside the LPDC’s mandate. “The LPDC cannot interrogate the operations of the Nigerian Law School, the Council of Legal Education, the NYSC and the Body of Benchers,” the committee ruled.
The committee further held that even if the allegations were assumed to be true, they related to events that predated Kalu’s call to the Bar. Such matters, it said, are beyond its jurisdiction, which is limited to regulating the professional conduct of enrolled legal practitioners. “No prima facie case is established,” the panel held, a position that cleared the deputy speaker and brought the disciplinary process to a close.
How it started
A group under the aegis of Coalition of South East Youth Leaders had called for an immediate and independent probe of Kalu in n a petition signed by its President General, Comrade Goodluck Ibem and the Publicity Secretary, Comrade Okey Nwaoru.
The petition read in part: “The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), the apex so ciopolitical youth group in the South East geopolitical zone has taken serious note of the petition filed by Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins, former First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), before the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) concerning allegations against the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu.
“The allegations, which question the validity of the Deputy Speaker’s enrolment as a legal practitioner and the authenticity of his participation in the NYSC scheme, are grave and touch on the integrity of key national institutions, including the Nigerian Law School, the Council of Legal Education, and the NYSC. “COSEYL states clearly that these allegations must not be ignored, politicised, or swept under the carpet.
The integrity of our institutions is bigger than any individual, no matter how highly placed. Public confidence in the rule of law, professional standards, and the credibility of the NYSC scheme must be protected at all costs. “We therefore call for immediate, transparent, and independent investigation by the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) into the issues raised in the petition and a thorough probe by the NYSC authorities to ascertain the authenticity of all relevant records.
“Given the high office occupied by the Deputy Speaker, COSEYL strongly advises that he steps aside from his position pending the outcome of these investigations. This is not a declaration of guilt, but a necessary step to ensure that the process is free from any perception of interference or undue influence.”
Kalu’s defence
Following the dust raised by the allegations, the deputy speaker rose in stout defence of himself. In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, on March 7, Kalu, dismissed as baseless, the claims of alleged irregularities in his NYSC participation and Law School attendance as made by CSGGG.
The statement described the allegations as “unproven claims” and “politically coloured narratives” that are part of a coordinated smear campaign aimed at tarnishing his reputation. “The Office of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has taken note of a press conference organised by a coalition led by the Civil Society Groups of Good Governance (CSGGG), wherein certain allegations were raised concerning the Deputy Speaker’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) participation and his attendance at the Nigerian Law School.
“Ordinarily, the Office would not dignify speculative claims and politically coloured narratives with an official response. However, in the interest of public clarity and to prevent deliberate misinformation from gaining traction, it has become necessary to address the issues raised.
“First and foremost, it must be clearly stated that the allegations being circulated remain unproven claims arising from a petition that has neither been substantiated nor determined by any competent authority. The deputy speaker remains a duly qualified legal practitioner and a respected public servant whose professional credentials have been examined at multiple stages of his career,” the statement read. The statement emphasised that the deputy speaker’s professional credentials have been examined at multiple stages of his career and that he remains a duly qualified legal practitioner.
It also pointed out that similar accusations were raised during previous political contests in 2023 and were dismissed in legal proceedings where he categorically affirmed the authenticity of his credentials. Dismissing calls for the deputy speaker to step down, the statement stated: “It must also be stressed that calls for the deputy speaker to ‘step aside’ based solely on unverified claims set a dangerous precedent, one that could encourage politically motivated petitions against public officials as a tool of destabilisation.”
The statement further emphasised the importance of due process, presumption of innocence, and rejection of political blackmail. It read: “The deputy speaker has absolute confidence in the integrity of Nigerian institutions. Should any competent authority request clarification or documentation, he will fully cooperate as a law-abiding citizen. “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.
The Office rejects the attempt by certain groups to issue ultimatums and threats of protests as a means of coercing public institutions or forcing political outcomes. “Benjamin Kalu remains fully committed to his responsibilities as Deputy Speaker of the Nigerian Parliament, focusing on legislative reforms, national development, and strengthening democratic institutions.”
The statement urged the public to disregard attempts to politicise the issue and allow relevant statutory bodies to examine any petition placed before them. “We wish to urge Nigerians to support the Deputy Speaker as he continues to serve the nation with integrity and transparency. Hon. Kalu remains committed to his responsibilities as Deputy Speaker, focusing on legislative reforms, national development, and strengthening democratic institutions,” the statement added.
South East Progressive Forum
Also backing Kalu, the South East Progressive Forum, in a statement, warned individuals allegedly sponsored to circulate negative narratives against the deputy speaker, asserting that such efforts would not hinder his work for the people of Bende Federal Constituency and Nigerians at large.
“The Abia Patriots, a group actively promoting this narrative on social media, allege that a petitioner, John Martins, submitted a complaint to the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee, requesting an investigation into what they term ‘fraudulent enrolment’ on the Roll of Legal Practitioners at the Supreme Court of Nigeria,” the group noted.
Chief Ihuoma Okoronkwo, spokesperson for the South East Progressive Forum, dismissed the claims, accusing the petitioner and the group of being sponsored to undermine Kalu. The Forum also expressed concern over the activities of Abia Patriots since 2024, attributing their actions to the influence of the Abia State Government.
“Everybody in Abia knows that the group, which was not registered anywhere before now, was conscripted to attack the Deputy Speaker in 2024. If you Google Abia Patriots, the only things you would see about them are those attacks on Benjamin Kalu. Curiously, too, the same group sees nothing wrong in whatever Alex Otti does as governor; rather, they are on social media praising him every day. “With such antecedents, you need no Prophets to tell you who the paymaster is. Those with sound minds in Abia and outside observers know they are agents of the state government.
But we are assuring them that no amount of blackmail or social media attacks will deter the deputy speaker from performing his lawful duties. “Nobody even takes them seriously. Aside from the social media and a few local media in Abia, which promote their mischievous activities against Kalu, you would never see any respected medium publish it,” the statement said. The Forum urged the deputy speaker not to allow anyone or any group of persons from his home state discourage him from executing the good plans he has for the entire Nd’Igbo and Nigerians.
“What they and their paymaster don’t know is that Kalu is not only representing Bende federal constituency, but he has the entire 360 federal constituencies at hand. As a presiding officer of the House of Representatives, this local politics would only provoke him to look elsewhere in the other constituencies, which the people of Abia would suffer from.
“The deputy speaker is well respected amongst his colleagues and celebrated across Nigeria as one of the finest parliamentarians the country is proud to produce. Just about a week ago, he was awarded the lawmaker of the year, having appraised his legislative sagacity in sponsoring 127 bills within two years—a feat no lawmaker has attained in Nigeria—amongst the many laudable projects across the South East and Nigeria.
“He does not deserve to be insulted at all by any normal human being in Nigeria, not to talk of his own State, which is the chief beneficiary of his good works. What some people don’t know is that, like medical doctors, lawyers sometimes have overlap between their NYSC and Professional certificates.
“In fact, some would be mobilised for NYSC and their Law School admission would come out the next month, and they would not want to miss the opportunity, so they enrol. In the same way, someone would be admitted for a masters or post-graduate course, and their mobilisation would come from NYSC the next moment, and they would run it concurrently.
“This same man presented himself for elections in 2019 and 2023 and was cleared by INEC in both elections and won. These people cannot be more knowledgeable than INEC, or the professional body that enrolled Benjamin Kalu as a Lawyer and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. We believe the disciplinary committee will perform its duties perfectly, and no one can compromise that. They are professionals,” the statement added.
Youth Renaissance
Similarly, a youth organisation, the Youth Renaissance for Good Governance, condemned the allegations and challenged the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) to produce what it described as a “phantom report” allegedly indicting the deputy speaker. In a statement signed by its National President, Dr. Ebekuo Madu and National Secretary, Paul Nwachukwu, the group said the allegations were “entirely false” and aimed at discrediting the lawmaker.
The group added that a 2023 verification exercise conducted by the National Youth Service Corps confirmed the authenticity of Kalu’s NYSC certificate. “We wish to place before the Nigerian public and well-meaning citizens of the South-East the irrefutable fact that there exists no credible, official or verified report indicting Hon. Benjamin Kalu,” the statement said.
The organisation further alleged that political rivals in Abia State were behind the claims, suggesting that the attacks may be linked to speculation surrounding Kalu’s possible future political ambitions in the state. “Hon. Kalu has not even declared any intention to run for the governorship of Abia State, yet certain interests appear determined to undermine him through sponsored allegations,” the statement added.
