No Blackmail Can Distract Deputy Speaker Kalu – South East Group Urges Police, DSS to track sponsors of smear campaigns against government officials

Amid ongoing social media campaigns targeting the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, over an alleged overlap between his NYSC discharge certificate and his Nigerian Law School result, a prominent South East group has called on security agencies to identify and prosecute those behind what it described as blackmail.

The South East Progressive Forum, in a statement issued Monday evening, cautioned individuals allegedly sponsored to circulate negative narratives about Kalu online. The group maintained that no amount of blackmail would prevent the Deputy Speaker from continuing his service to the people of Bende Federal Constituency and Nigerians as a whole.
Kalu was elected Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives in June 2023, securing the backing of nearly all 359 other members. His emergence made him the sixth-ranking citizen in the country and the highest-ranking political office holder from the South East under the current administration.
However, his tenure has faced media criticism, particularly from his home state of Abia, where Alex Otti of the Labour Party serves as Governor.
The most recent allegation concerns claims that there was an overlap between Kalu’s NYSC service year and his attendance at the Nigerian Law School, Enugu Campus.
A group identified as Abia Patriots has been vocal on social media, asserting that one Mr. John Aipkopko Martins submitted a petition to the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee. The petition reportedly calls for an investigation into what was termed “fraudulent enrolment” on the Roll of Legal Practitioners at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Responding to the claims, the spokesperson of the South East Progressive Forum, Chief Ihuoma Okoronkwo, dismissed the allegations and accused both the petitioner and the group of acting on sponsorship aimed at undermining “their own brother.”
The Forum expressed concern over the activities of Abia Patriots since 2024, alleging that the group was mobilized to consistently attack the Deputy Speaker. It claimed the group’s public presence has largely revolved around criticisms of Kalu, while simultaneously praising Governor Otti.
According to the statement, observers within and outside Abia State can discern the motives behind the campaign, stressing that no level of media attack would deter the Deputy Speaker from performing his constitutional duties. The group further asserted that the allegations have gained little traction beyond social media and a few local outlets.
The Forum advised Kalu not to be discouraged by local political tensions, emphasizing that his responsibilities extend beyond Bende Federal Constituency to all 360 federal constituencies as a presiding officer of the House. It warned that persistent local distractions could shift his focus away from his home state.
Describing him as widely respected among his colleagues, the Forum noted that Kalu was recently recognized as Lawmaker of the Year after reportedly sponsoring 127 bills within two years — an achievement it described as unprecedented — alongside several development initiatives across the South East and Nigeria.
On the specific allegation regarding the overlap between his NYSC and Law School records, the group urged calm, expressing confidence that the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee would thoroughly examine the petition and communicate its findings in due course.
The statement argued that, similar to other professions, overlaps between NYSC and professional or postgraduate programs are not uncommon, as individuals sometimes pursue concurrent opportunities when admission or mobilization timelines coincide.
It also pointed out that Kalu successfully contested elections in 2019 and 2023 after being cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), questioning how critics could claim greater authority than regulatory and professional bodies that had already vetted his credentials.
The Forum concluded by expressing confidence that the disciplinary committee would carry out its responsibilities professionally and independently, maintaining that no external influence could compromise its integrity.