Abia State University Revokes Dr Uzor Kalu’s First Degree Certificate

The Senate of Abia State University, Uturu has revoked the first degree certificate awarded to the former governor of Abia, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu.

The Senate said the revocation was based on its findings that the certificate was fraudulently awarded.

This was made public in a statement issued at the weekend by the registrar/secretary to Senate, O.E Onuoha, saying that the decision was taken at the resumed 69th extra-ordinary meeting of the Senate held on Friday, March 1, 2013.

With the “cancellation and withdrawal of the degree result and certificate awarded to him” the former presidential candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) would no longer regard himself as a graduate of Government and Public Administration.

The ABSU registrar explained that the revocation of Kalu’s degree certificate was carried out “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 and graduation of Kalu , Orji Uzor in the discipline of Government and Public Administration “.

However the decision to render Kalu’s certificate valueless did not enjoy unanimity of opinion by he members of Senate as 88 voted in favour while three dissenting voices opposed the motion.

Kalu had enrolled for the degree programme by transfer from the University of Maiduguri where his initial quest to obtain a first degree certificate was truncated only for him rekindle his desire for university educate when he became Abia governor. He enrolled at ABSU with matriculation number 00/42226.

The statement reads in part: 

“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.

Culled from Leadership