By WANDOO SOMBO

The Body of Benchers (BoB) has advised a Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CSGGG) to follow due process in filling its petition challenging the Law School certificate of Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu.

The body gave the advice on Wednesday in Abuja when the convener of CSGGG, Mr Dominic Ogakwu, led the coalition to the BoB headquarters to submit the petition.

However, a representative of the BoB declined to accept the petition, saying the coalition did not follow the required procedures for filing it.

The body subsequently provided the group with the appropriate forms to complete and attach to the petition before it could be considered.

The petitioners said the action was taken in the public interest and was necessitated by what they described as an alleged breach of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Act by the deputy speaker.

The petition, addressed to the Chairman of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), questioned the concurrent timelines of Kalu’s NYSC.

It also questioned Kalu’s enrolment at the Nigerian Law School, Enugu Campus.

“The office which Kalu holds is by no means one of high standing, clout and prestige therefore, and as a legal practitioner, demands the highest standard of probity, clarity and transparency.

“However, these are shrouded in opacity at the instant moment owing to time gaps in both Kalu’s service year as a Youth corps member, and his time at the Law School, Enugu Campus,” the coalition said.

According to the petitioners, official records indicate that Kalu was mobilised for NYSC from March 9, 2010 to March 8, 2011, while he was also enrolled at the Nigerian Law School from April 23, 2010 to September 2011.

The coalition further alleged that upon admission into the Law School on April 23, 2010, Kalu declared that he would not engage in employment or participate in the NYSC during the period of his study.

The petitioners also said that Kalu claimed to have graduated from the University of Calabar in 1998, raising questions over the timeline of his NYSC and his attendance at the Law School.

“How come that after a whole 12 years after graduation, Kalu’s alleged youth service and law school happened concurrently?” the group queried.

The coalition urged the BoB to examine the deputy speaker’s academic records to determine whether he met the requirements of the Law School while allegedly participating in both programmes.

It added that if any breach of the law was established, appropriate sanctions should be applied to safeguard the integrity of the legal profession.

This, the group said, was to demonstrate that no Nigerian, including a lawyer, was above the law when found culpable.

“Our demands are simple, and provide clarity as to how Kalu could have effectively met the requirements of the law school.

“If indeed he actively participated by calling up his academic records, ” the group said.

The petition referenced a statement credited to the deputy speaker’s office which said that “the allegations being circulated remain unproven claims arising from a petition that has neither been substantiated nor determined by any competent authority.” (NAN)