The Union of Igbo Youths (UIY) has rallied behind the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, dismissing allegations by the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) over his NYSC certificate and Nigerian Law School records as baseless and politically motivated.
In a strongly worded statement issued Wednesday and signed by its National President, Dr. Nicholas Nwigwe, and Vice President, Dr. Ada Stella Okoronkwo, the group accused COSEYL of acting as a “group for hire” allegedly serving the interests of undisclosed political sponsors.
The union said attempts to question Kalu’s records were part of a coordinated effort to undermine a prominent political figure from the South-East.
UIY pointed to a 2023 verification exercise conducted by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which it said conclusively affirmed that the Deputy Speaker obtained his discharge certificate in compliance with the NYSC Act.
According to the group, the exercise followed an independent investigation by the scheme, which ended with an official verification letter confirming the authenticity of Kalu’s certificate.
It challenged COSEYL to produce any counter-verification from the NYSC, a formal letter from the Director-General disputing the 2023 findings, or a sworn affidavit from a competent authority backing its allegations.
“If such evidence cannot be produced — and we are confident it cannot — then COSEYL has clearly defamed a serving constitutional officer of the Federal Republic,” the statement said.
The union also addressed reports suggesting that a petition might be filed against Kalu at the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) regarding his Nigerian Law School records.
UIY insisted the LPDC, which it described as one of the nation’s most respected regulatory bodies, would not allow itself to be drawn into what it termed a politically driven campaign.
It further called on the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and senior members of the legal profession to ensure the disciplinary body is protected from partisan misuse.
Raising a series of questions for COSEYL, the group demanded clarity on who allegedly sponsored the campaign, the title and reference number of any report indicting Kalu, and whether the coalition sought legal advice before making the accusations.
UIY also questioned why the coalition was targeting a politician who has not declared interest in any electoral contest, including the Abia State governorship.
The group suggested that the attacks were driven more by political anxiety than genuine accountability concerns.
“They are not fighting a declared candidate; they are fighting a potential,” the statement said, adding that Kalu’s rising profile and influence in attracting federal attention to the South-East may have unsettled certain political interests.
The union urged Igbo youth organisations, traditional institutions, the media and security agencies to reject what it described as a smear campaign and to probe the funding behind protests and public attacks against the Deputy Speaker.
“An attack on Benjamin Kalu at this scale is not simply an attack on one individual,” the group stated. “It is an attack on the aspirations of every Igbo person who dares to rise.”
COSEYL had not responded to requests for comment as of the time of filing this report.
UIY Defends Kalu, Demands COSEYL Show Evidence or Apologise
