The dreaded Ides of March caught up with former Abia State Governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, as his alma mater, the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), has withdrawn the degree certificate issued to him upon graduation from the university while he was the governor of the state.

The Senate of ABSU which met yesterday, March 1, 2013, took the decision to revoke Kalu’s degree based on what it cited as irregularities in his admission into the institution. News Express learnt that 88 members of the Senate voted for stripping of Kalu of his certificate while three voted against.

Apart from the alleged irregularities in Kalu’s admission, theapex regulatory body of the school also held that the former governor breached the duration of his academic programme by spending only two of the six semesters his course of study ought to last.

News Express reports that Kalu was admitted into ABSU while on the saddle of power as Abia’s Chief Executive to read Government and Public Administration.

Below is a statement issued by the Registrar of ABSU, Mr. O. E. Onuoha, after the emergency meeting of the Senate:

“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.”

•Photo: Orji Uzor Kalu.