Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu Cleared as LPDC Throws Out Certificate Forgery Claims

Background

Benjamin Okezie Kalu represents Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives and was elected Deputy Speaker of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023. In recent weeks, allegations began circulating in public discourse raising doubts about his professional and academic standing.

The Petition and the Allegations

The petition was filed by John Aikpokpo-Martins, who alleged that Kalu was previously known as Benjamin Okezie Osisiogu before he legally changed his name. The petitioner accused the Deputy Speaker of allegedly making false declarations during his admission into the Nigerian Law School and in the course of his participation in the NYSC programme, claiming that Kalu provided misleading information regarding his eligibility during the admission process and his service under the NYSC scheme, and urging the disciplinary body to investigate the allegations and impose appropriate sanctions if found culpable. 

Specifically, the complaint alleged that Kalu simultaneously participated in the National Youth Service Corps scheme while attending the Nigerian Law School prior to his call to the Bar in 2011, with the petitioner contending that the alleged dual participation violated the provisions of the NYSC Act and amounted to false declarations, which allegedly formed the basis of the respondent's call to the Bar on September 6, 2011, and his subsequent enrolment on the Roll of Legal Practitioners. 

The LPDC's Ruling

A certified true copy of the committee's ruling, with reference number BB/LPDC/1954/2026, was made available to journalists, effectively closing the matter. The ruling was signed by Umeh Kalu, SAN, a senior member of the LPDC panel. 

The panel found the complaint flawed on two grounds — procedural and substantive:

On Procedure: The panel noted that the statement of facts was addressed to the chairman of the Legal Practitioners' Privileges Committee rather than the chairman of the LPDC, as required under Rule 4 of the LPDC Rules 2020. The panel said, while it overlooked the procedural error, the petition still failed on its merits. 

On Substance: The LPDC stated that it cannot interrogate the operations of the Nigerian Law School, the Council of Legal Education, the NYSC, and the Body of Benchers. The committee further observed that the alleged actions, even if assumed to be true, occurred before Kalu was called to the Bar, and as a result, the committee ruled that such claims could not be investigated or sanctioned by the LPDC. 

The panel concluded that the complaint did not disclose any basis for disciplinary proceedings, stating: "In the circumstances, I find that the Applicant has not adduced any prima facie evidence to warrant the Respondent being invited to respond to the complaint. No prima facie case is established."

Kalu's Reaction

Kalu had earlier dismissed the allegations, insisting that they were based on a petition that had neither been substantiated nor determined by any competent authority. Efforts to obtain his reaction to the final ruling were unsuccessful as calls and text messages sent to him were not responded to as of the time of filing the report. 

Political Context

The ruling is considered significant as it converts what had been circulated in the public space as speculation into something far clearer: an allegation that has been examined and rejected by the professional body responsible for regulating Nigeria's legal profession. Some commentators have framed the petition as a politically motivated attack on a rising legislative figure, noting that Kalu's growing political profile has placed him among the most visible leaders of the 10th National Assembly, and that level of prominence inevitably attracts resistance.

What Happens Next?

While the LPDC has closed the matter, the LPDC panel held that the allegations bordering on NYSC participation, Nigerian Law School training, and enrolment at the Supreme Court fall entirely outside the LPDC's jurisdiction. This leaves open the possibility that the petitioner could pursue the matter through other competent authorities, such as the regular courts, the NYSC itself, or other relevant regulatory agencies.

Sources:

1. Channels Television — https://www.channelstv.com/2026/03/11/alleged-certificate-discrepancy-lpdc-dismisses-complaint-against-deputy-speaker-benjamin-kalu/
2. Daily Post Nigeria — https://dailypost.ng/2026/03/11/lpdc-dismisses-complaint-against-deputy-speaker-benjamin-kalu/
3. Blueprint Newspapers — https://blueprint.ng/lpdc-dismisses-petition-against-deputy-speaker-kalu-over-nysc-law-school-allegations/
4. Punch Newspapers — https://punchng.com/legal-practitioners-committee-dismisses-petition-against-deputy-speaker/
5. Premium Times — https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/863362-disciplinary-panel-dismisses-petition-of-false-declarations-against-the-deputy-speaker.html
6. TheCable — https://www.thecable.ng/lpdc-dismisses-petition-alleging-irregularities-in-benjamin-kalus-nysc-law-school-records/
7. City Post — https://www.citypost.ng/alleged-nysc-law-school-overlap-disciplinary-committee-dismisses-petition-against-deputy-speaker-kalu/
8. Daily Trust — https://dailytrust.com/ben-kalu-the-lpdc-verdict-and-the-politics-of-manufactured-scandal/