A petition has been filed before the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) seeking a review of the enrolment of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, as a legal practitioner, following allegations relating to his participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The petition was submitted by a former First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins, who urged the LPDC to investigate what he described as possible irregularities surrounding the lawmaker’s call to the Nigerian Bar and enrolment on the Roll of Legal Practitioners maintained at the Supreme Court.
In separate correspondences addressed to the LPDC and the Director-General of the NYSC, the petitioner alleged that Kalu may have undertaken his NYSC service year during the same period he attended the Nigerian Law School, Enugu Campus — a situation he argued could be inconsistent with provisions of the Legal Practitioners Act and the NYSC Act.
According to the petition, Kalu was mobilised for NYSC service from March 9, 2010 to March 8, 2011, while also attending the Nigerian Law School between April 23, 2010 and July 1, 2011.
The petitioner contended that Section 2(3) of the NYSC Act provides for a continuous one-year national service and argued that this requirement may be incompatible with full-time academic training within the same period.
He further claimed that policies of the Nigerian Law School and the Council of Legal Education prohibit students from participating in the NYSC during their course of study.
In an affidavit referenced in the petition, Aikpokpo-Martins averred that Kalu, who was admitted into the Nigerian Law School under the name Benjamin Okezie Osisiogu before effecting a change of name, declared at the point of admission that he was not engaged in NYSC and would not undertake employment during his period of study.
The petitioner, however, alleged that records, including an NYSC discharge certificate reportedly issued to Kalu, indicate that he participated in the service year within the same timeframe.
Kalu was called to the Nigerian Bar on September 6, 2011, and subsequently enrolled at the Supreme Court.
The petitioner argued that the alleged timeline raises questions about compliance with the Nigerian Law School’s attendance requirements, including the stipulated 70 per cent threshold necessary for qualification and call to Bar.
He maintained that if any misrepresentation occurred in the course of admission or certification, it could have implications under the Legal Practitioners Act, which requires good character as a condition for admission to the Bar.
In his petition, Aikpokpo-Martins called on the LPDC to examine the issues raised and take appropriate action if any breach is established.
In a separate letter dated February 9, 2026, addressed to the NYSC Director-General, he requested a review of Certificate of National Service No. A001773067, reportedly issued to Kalu on March 8, 2011. He also asked the scheme to determine whether any provisions of the NYSC Act were violated.
The petitioner stated that the matter concerns institutional integrity and adherence to statutory requirements.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from regarding the allegations contained in the petition. Efforts to reach his media office were unsuccessful.
The LPDC and the NYSC have also not publicly indicated whether any formal investigation has commenced.
The allegations outlined in the petition represent the claims of the petitioner and have not been independently verified.