By Micah Jonah, February 20, 2026
A fresh legal storm is brewing around the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, following a petition challenging the legality of his enrolment as a legal practitioner and his alleged simultaneous participation in the National Youth Service Corps and the Nigerian Law School.
According to reports, a former First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins, has petitioned the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee, accusing Kalu of what he described as “fraudulent enrolment” on the Roll of Legal Practitioners maintained by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
At the centre of the petition is an alleged overlap between Kalu’s NYSC service year and his attendance at the Nigerian Law School, Enugu Campus.
The petitioner contends that Kalu was mobilised for NYSC between March 9, 2010 and March 8, 2011, while also attending the Law School from April 23, 2010 to July 1, 2011. He argues that such dual participation would contravene Section 2(3) of the NYSC Act, which mandates a continuous one-year national service.
Aikpokpo-Martins maintains that it is “statutorily impossible” for a corps member to lawfully undertake full-time academic training during the subsistence of the service year. The petition also references what it describes as a strict policy of the Law School and the Council of Legal Education prohibiting students from serving in the NYSC during their period of study.
In an affidavit reportedly deposed before the disciplinary committee, the petitioner alleged that Kalu said to have enrolled at the Law School under the name Benjamin Okezie Osisiogu before a subsequent change of name made a declaration on April 23, 2010 affirming that he was not and would not engage in employment or NYSC service during his studies.
However, documents attached to the petition, including an NYSC Certificate of National Service allegedly issued on March 8, 2011, are said to indicate continuous participation in the scheme within the same timeframe.
The petitioner further questioned whether the Deputy Speaker met the mandatory 70 per cent attendance requirement at the Law School, a prerequisite for certification by the Council of Legal Education and subsequent Call to Bar.
Kalu was called to the Bar on September 6, 2011 and enrolled at the Supreme Court with enrolment number SCN/078630.
The petition invokes provisions of the NYSC Act relating to failure to serve continuously, aiding contraventions and making false statements, as well as Section 11(1)(c) of the Legal Practitioners Act, which empowers the LPDC to discipline legal practitioners found guilty of infamous conduct in a professional respect.
Aikpokpo-Martins has also written to the Director-General of the NYSC, urging the withdrawal of the Certificate of National Service if irregularities are established and calling for prosecution where necessary. He disclosed plans to seek subpoenas compelling the production of official records from both the NYSC and the Nigerian Law School, including attendance registers, call-up letters and discharge documentation.
Legal practitioners who commented on the development noted that the LPDC has jurisdiction to investigate allegations of professional misconduct where properly substantiated, but stressed that the claims remain allegations pending formal inquiry and evidentiary review.
As of press time, there was no official response from Hon. Kalu. Neither the NYSC nor the LPDC has publicly confirmed whether investigations have commenced.
The unfolding controversy has reignited debate over statutory compliance, professional ethics and the standards of integrity expected of holders of high public office.
