The Igbo Mandate Movement Group, a civil society organization, 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 that the action is the most recent in a long-running operation to damage the reputation and political career of one of the most well-known politicians in the South-East.
Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins, a former First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association, wrote the petition, which was sent to the National Youth Service Corps and the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee. It asked for a review of documents pertaining to Kalu’s national service history and professional credentials.
The Igbo Mandate Movement Group said in a news release signed by Igboeli Arinze Napoleon, its National Coordinator, that the petition is part of a pattern of credential issues that have followed Kalu throughout his ascent. Critics claimed that Kalu had never graduated from the University of Calabar when he was nominated as a Commissioner in Abia State. This was refuted when Kalu went on to get 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 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 claimed that the same forces of regression had returned with a new version of the same debunked story.
The organization presented the details of Kalu’s 2010 service year in order to address the main points of the current petition. The Nigerian Law School, which at the time had just two campuses in Lagos and Abuja, was unable to quickly accommodate the number of eligible graduates when he graduated from the University of Calabar in 1998. Many law grads were forced to wait years for admittance due to the ensuing backlog. While awaiting additional certifications, Kalu traveled overseas. After being mobilized for NYSC in 2010, he returned to Nigeria and was assigned to the Chairman’s office in the Enugu North Local Government Area. He received the Citizenship and Leadership Award, became a Platoon Leader, and engaged enthusiastically in camp activities.
By a stunning coincidence, he received his long-awaited Law School acceptance at the same time, putting him at the Enugu Campus in Agbani, which is only thirty minutes away from his NYSC station. When he had to decide between leaving his NYSC service in violation of the NYSC Act and postponing admittance and waiting an additional three to four years, he decided to fulfill both duties at the same time. His principal assignment schedule was set up so that he could complete his LGA responsibilities prior to starting law school studies. He fulfilled all weekly and monthly NYSC clearance requirements, went above and beyond the required 70% attendance threshold for Law School, and excelled academically to the point where he was one of only three students chosen to join the research team of the esteemed Professor Ernest Ojukwu, the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School at the time.
Regarding the legal issue, the group contended that any NYSC rulings that detractors 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 said, “Laws are not retroactive in nature.”
“Such declarations would not withstand the scrutiny of an affidavit on oath and do not carry the force of law.” The company further stated that a call to the bar is a professional qualification and that, with complete NYSC knowledge, corps members throughout Nigeria regularly obtain professional certifications in project management, management, cybersecurity, and accounting throughout their service year.
The organization used the statement to demand immediate policy reform in addition to protecting Kalu. There are still years of waiting between graduation and admission to law school for thousands of Nigerian law graduates. According to the group, Kalu’s experience, both in 2010 and now that it is being used against him, reveals a systemic flaw that necessitates a legislative solution. This solution 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 ended 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.
