Abia State University Revokes Former Governor Orji Kalu’s First Degree Certificate

The Abia State University has withdrawn the degree certificate it awarded to a former governor of the state, Uzor Orji Kalu.

Premium Times reports that the University in a statement by its Registrar, O. E. Onuoha, on Saturday said the decision was taken after an emergency meeting of the University Senate which considered the recommendations of a panel which investigated the allegations levelled against Kalu. In withdrawing the certificate, the University said the admission and graduation of the former governor violated its extant rules and regulations.

“On the strength of the findings and recommendations of an investigative panel into allegations of breach of the extant Academic Regulations of Abia State University, in the admission process of the admission and graduation of Kalu, Orji Uzor in the discipline of Government and Public Administration, of matriculation number 00/42226, the Senate of Abia State University at its resumed 69th Extra-Ordinary meeting of Friday 1st March 2013 and by a vote of eighty-eight (88) against three (3) dissenting voices only, approved the cancellation and withdrawal of the degree result and certificate awarded to him.

“The decision of Senate was based on the following grounds among others:

*The violation of the Academic Regulations of the university on Admission-by-Transfer, which rendered the offer irregular, ab initio.

*The non-completion of the mandatory six (6) semesters (i.e. three academic years of study), before he was awarded a degree of the university. He spent only two semesters in all.

“The university Senate maintained that its action, aforesaid, derived from the exercise of its onerous statutory responsibility to guard and maintain , at all times, the Academic Regulations of the University, its hard-earned reputation and the credibility of the certificates it awards,” Onuoha said.

Kalu was initially a student of the University of Maiduguri but he dropped out. While he was governor of Abia state, he reenrolled at the Abia State University. He was visitor to the University at the time and there were concerns that he was an absentee student. Now, the University said the former governor’s admission and graduation made mockery of its academic rules and regulations.

When Punch tried to reach him for comments, he said, “My lawyer will reply at the appropriate time.”