The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, has called for a thorough investigation into allegations against the deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu.
Report had it on February 20, 2027, that a former First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins, petitioned the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, and the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, requesting a review of Kalu’s records.
In separate letters sent to the two government establishments, Aikpokpo-Martins urged the authorities to examine issues concerning Kalu’s period at the Nigerian Law School and his NYSC service year.
The allegations questioned the validity of Kalu’s enrolment as a legal practitioner and the authenticity of his NYSC certificate.
Reacting, COSEYL in a statement issued on Wednesday by its President General, Goodluck Ibem, said the allegations “must not be ignored, politicised, or swept under the carpet.”
According to the coalition, the integrity of the government institutions “is bigger than any individual, no matter how highly placed.”
The statement added that a “thorough probe by the NYSC authorities to ascertain the authenticity of all relevant records” is needed, stressing that the findings upon conclusion of investigation should be made public.
“In advanced democracies, public officials temporarily relinquish their offices when serious allegations arise in order to preserve the sanctity of the institutions they serve. Nigeria should not be an exception,” he added.
