The degree certificate of former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu has been withdrawn by his alma mater, the Abia State University.
This was reported by an online news portal, Premium Times, which quoted the registrar of the institution, O.E. Onuoha in a statement released on Saturday, saying that 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.
Onuoha said, “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 the university at its resumed 69th extra-ordinary meeting of March 1, 2013 and by a vote of 88 against three 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 and the non-completion of the mandatory six 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.”
Orji Kalu was a student at the University of Maiduguri before he dropped out. He later re-enrolled at the Abi State University while he was governor as the visitor to the university.
The admission and graduation of Kalu, the university stated, made mockery of its academic rules and regulations as he was an absentee student.
When contacted by this correspondent for his comments, Kalu replied, “My lawyer will reply at the appropriate time.”