The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has dismissed demands for him to step down following allegations concerning discrepancies in his academic and service records.
Kalu responded to the controversy by calling for adherence to due process rather than yielding to public pressure. The calls for his resignation were made by a coalition of civil society organisations led by the Civil Society Groups of Good Governance (CSGGG), which had earlier given him a 72-hour ultimatum to temporarily vacate his position to allow an independent investigation into his certificates.
The coalition questioned the timeline of Kalu’s academic and service history, particularly relating to his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate and his attendance at the Nigerian Law School. According to the group, Kalu reportedly took an oath in April 2010 stating he was not engaged in employment or NYSC service at the time he was admitted to the law school. However, records cited by the coalition indicate that he obtained his NYSC discharge certificate in March 2011, prompting questions about how he could have simultaneously completed the one-year service while attending law school.
Based on these concerns, the coalition demanded clarification and warned that it might stage protests at the National Assembly if he failed to step aside for an investigation.
In response, Kalu’s Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, described the accusations as unproven and originating from a petition that has not been verified or ruled upon by any authorised body. He confirmed that Kalu was officially called to the Nigerian Bar in September 2011 and later enrolled as a legal practitioner at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Nwabughiogu attributed the controversy to a petition reportedly submitted by a former official of the Nigerian Bar Association, which asked the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee and the NYSC to examine aspects of Kalu’s academic and service history.
He argued that the mere filing of a petition should not be interpreted as proof of wrongdoing, warning against what he described as attempts to judge the matter through public opinion rather than through lawful procedures.
The statement also alleged that the claims form part of a deliberate campaign aimed at damaging the reputation of the Deputy Speaker, whom it described as a rising political figure. According to his aide, similar accusations were raised during the 2023 election period but were dismissed in legal proceedings after Kalu affirmed the authenticity of his credentials.
While rejecting calls for his resignation, the Deputy Speaker’s office maintained that he remains ready to cooperate fully with any official investigation if requested by the appropriate authorities.
The statement further emphasised that Nigeria’s democratic system operates under the rule of law and that allegations should be investigated by competent institutions rather than decided through media campaigns or public pressure.
Kalu’s office therefore rejected the ultimatum issued by the coalition, insisting that public officials must be held accountable through lawful processes supported by evidence, not through what it described as politically motivated accusations.