Legal Practitioners Committee Dismisses Professional Misconduct Petition Against Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu

By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC has dismissed a petition against Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, ruling that the petitioner failed to prove a prima facie case.

This decision provides significant legal relief for Kalu following allegations regarding his professional history.

The complaint, filed by lawyer John Martins, challenged Kalu’s past academic and service records. Specifically, it alleged Kalu participated in the NYSC scheme while simultaneously attending Law School before his 2011 call to the Bar.

Martins argued this overlap violated the NYSC Act and involved false declarations. He claimed these discrepancies influenced Kalu’s Supreme Court enrollment and sought disciplinary action based on these historical allegations.

The LPDC panel, led by Umeh Kalu (SAN), noted the petition was procedurally flawed and addressed to the wrong committee. Despite this error, the panel chose to review the substance of the claims.

Substantively, the committee ruled the allegations fell outside its jurisdiction. It emphasized that its mandate is to discipline professional misconduct occurring only after a lawyer has been formally enrolled in practice.

The ruling further clarified that allegations of false declarations or fraudulent enrollment are criminal matters. Such issues are not within the purview of a professional disciplinary body like the LPDC.

Kalu’s office previously dismissed the claims as politically motivated and unproven. His spokesperson maintained that all credentials had been verified by the Council of Legal Education and other statutory bodies.

This dismissal ends the legal challenge against the Deputy Speaker’s professional standing. The ruling reaffirms Kalu’s status as a qualified practitioner and highlights the strict jurisdictional boundaries of legal ethics.