A coalition of civil society groups under the aegis of Civil Society Groups of Good Governance CSGGG has rejected claims suggesting that the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee LPDC dismissed a petition involving certificate fraud allegations against the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu.

In a statement released Thursday in Abuja, President of the coalition, Chief Dominic Ogakwu characterized the purported dismissal as a “pyrrhic reprieve.”

He clarified that the LPDC did not clear the deputy speaker of the substance of the allegations but instead ruled that the issues raised fell outside its statutory jurisdiction.

According to the group, the core of the petition concerns whether Kalu simultaneously participated in the National Youth Service Corps NYSC scheme while undergoing training at the Nigerian Law School.

Ogakwu argued that the timeline evidenced in Kalu’s NYSC discharge certificate and his Call to the Bar suggests a potential contravention of the NYSC Act and Law School requirements.

​“It is mischievous and a clear case of seeking legal reprieve for allegations that are well documented to claim that the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, dismissed claims of certificate fraud and perjury against the Deputy Speaker.

“What the LPDC simply said was that it lacked the statutory jurisdiction to entertain the matter of how Mr Kalu was enrolled by the Supreme Court as a legal practitioner and obtained his NYSC discharge certificate at about the same time”, the coalition said.

The CSGGG president questioned whether the deputy speaker misled the Nigerian Law School, the NYSC and the Body of Benchers to obtain his credentials and subsequent enrollment as a legal practitioner.

He noted that these “posers” remain unresolved despite the LPDC’s jurisdictional ruling.

Drawing parallels to previous high-profile cases, the statement cited the resignations of former Finance minister, Kemi Adeosun and the challenges faced by the sacked Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, regarding certificate controversies.

The group expressed its determination to pursue the matter further, stating that the LPDC’s decision to decline jurisdiction would not end the inquiry.

It also announced plans to approach other relevant bodies and organize a protest at the National Assembly to demand accountability, adding that no officeholder is above scrutiny.

______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

_______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation _______________________________________________________________________

“Order Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s Electronic Evidence Books Now” — Essential Guides On Evidence Act, Case Law And Digital Proof

Two leading books on electronic evidence by Hon. Justice Professor Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, Rtd., PhD, FICMC, are now available for purchase. The publications, Electronic Evidence (Second Edition), With The Evidence Act, 2011 and Compendium Of Cases On Electronic Evidence, Volume II, 2020–2025, provide practical guidance, legal analysis and recent judicial authorities on electronic evidence in Nigeria.Order directly from the author here: https://velvety-cendol-7387ed.netlify.app/ _______________________________________________________________________ Groundbreaking Guide For Lawyers: Adigwe Publishes ‘Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers’ With Free Research eBook The book also examines Nigeria's legal ecosystem, focusing on the LPELR and NBA AI Guidelines. As a bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE eBook titled: How to Use the AI Features in LegalPedia and LawPavilion. Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating: "....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic." How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626 Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. _______________________________________________________________________