By Abdullateef Bambgose
The Save Nigeria Movement (SNM) and the Freelance Journalists Federation (FJF) have urged the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force to identify and prosecute individuals allegedly responsible for spreading false information about the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, the groups described the allegations circulating against the Deputy Speaker as a coordinated smear campaign allegedly sponsored by opposition elements seeking to undermine his rising political profile.
Speaking through their conveners, Solomon Semeka and Ibrahim Akawe Joseph, the coalition alleged that some faceless groups posing as activists had been circulating unfounded claims regarding Kalu’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and Nigerian Law School records in an attempt to tarnish his reputation.
The groups dismissed as false the allegation that the Deputy Speaker illegally combined his NYSC programme with his Law School training, describing the claim as a recycled narrative that should be disregarded by the public.
They noted that a petition on the matter had previously been submitted to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), which, after reviewing the case, dismissed it for lacking merit.
According to the organisations, their independent inquiries into the allegations also found no evidence to support the claims.
“Our findings confirm that the Deputy Speaker complied with all statutory requirements of the Nigerian legal profession and the National Youth Service Corps scheme. There is no documentary or factual evidence to support the allegations being circulated by his detractors,” the groups stated.
They further alleged that the campaign was politically motivated and linked to the anticipated 2027 governorship race in Abia State.
“It has become increasingly clear that this campaign of calumny is driven by fear ahead of the 2027 governorship contest in Abia State. Certain politicians appear threatened by the growing popularity of the Deputy Speaker and his support for the President’s Renewed Hope agenda. Unable to match his legislative performance and political influence, they have resorted to character assassination,” they said.
The coalition also claimed that its organisations had been approached by sponsors of the alleged smear campaign but declined to participate.
“To set the record straight, our organisation was approached about two weeks ago by some of these sponsors to lead the smear campaign. We declined outright. As organisations committed to national development, we refuse to participate in the blackmail of a performing public official,” they added.
They added that they were compiling a dossier on the alleged fake civil society organisations and their sponsors, which would soon be submitted to security agencies for investigation.
The groups urged the public to disregard what they described as malicious narratives aimed at discrediting the Deputy Speaker, insisting that genuine civil society organisations remain supportive of his leadership.
They therefore called on the DSS and the Nigeria Police Force to thoroughly investigate the matter and ensure that those responsible for spreading the alleged falsehoods are brought to justice.
“This is a deliberate attempt to defame a high-ranking public official and incite public distrust. We are submitting a formal petition to the relevant security agencies to ensure that those responsible face the full weight of the law,” the coalition said.
