Abia
State governor, Chief Theodore A. Orji may have taken the fight against his
predecessor and benefactor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu to a more desperate level as
Daily Sun reliably gathered that he is making subterranean moves to revoke the
degree awarded the former governor by the Abia State University (ABSU) in 2002.
Gov.
Orji who is invoking his powers as Visitor to the university is said to be
behind a move compelling the varsity authorities to consider the
recommendations of a kangaroo investigative panel that allegedly looked into a
spurious petition lodged against the award of the degree to Kalu by the
university several years ago. Kalu who had abandoned his degree programmme at
the University of Maiduguri had his transcript records and other details transferred
to ABSU while he was serving as governor and eventually completed the programme
some eleven years ago.
In
fact, photos of the then Governor Kalu sitting among other students to write
his semester exams made interesting news for several newspaper houses then, as
they lavishly splashed them in their publications. Eleven years down the line,
however, Gov. T. A. Orji is said to be desperate to withdraw the degree to
score a political point against Kalu whose return to the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) has sent cold shivers down the spine of the governor and
his allies.
Daily
Sun gathered that the Senate of the University met last Tuesday to consider the
report of the investigative panel hurriedly set up to look into the curious
petition filed by a yet to be unmasked petitioner. The panel alleged, in an
excerpt of its report obtained by Daily Sun, that although there indeed “was a
student by name Kalu, O.U. with Matriculation Number 00/42226, who supposedly
transferred to Abia State University,” the process of the transfer and the
documentation was incomplete and that “In effect, the said transfer of Kalu,
Orji U. into Abia State University was irregular ab initio.”
The
Senate was, however, said to have dismissed the report and recommendations of
the panel, saying it was hurriedly put together and did not follow due process.
Apart from the fact that the report was hurriedly done, the Senate also noted
that the Vice Chancellor as at the time of the report, was never invited to
give evidence during the so-called investigation. Similarly, the Senate noted,
neither Kalu who is a central figure to the petition nor any other key figure
to the matter was invited to testify.
Not
satisfied, however, those believed to be bent on scoring cheap political point
with the matter are said to have mounted pressure on most members of the Senate
to re-visit the matter. Consequently, an emergency meeting at the university
Senate has been convened tomorrow with Kalu’s degree as the only item on the
agenda. A member of the Senate who spoke to Daily Sun last night on the
condition of anonymity said the development is dangerous. “They should not
bring politics into academics because it will destroy the institution,” he
said.
Confirming
that some members of the university Senate have been under pressure since
Tuesday, the source said: “Yes, offers have been made to some members after
majority of us rejected the bid on Tuesday. With the way things are now, I
doubt whether we will have quorum on Friday.” Reacting to the move yesterday,
Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu who is abroad said that the Abia State government’s latest
move has shown the level of desperation of the government. Kalu who spoke
through his aide, Kunle Oyewunmi, said that “it is obvious that this shameless
desperation was provoked by my return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
If
the governor is popular as he claims, why is he jittery and desperate that one
man is re-joining a party he co-founded.” Kalu called on well-meaning Abians
and Nigerians to call Gov. T.A. Orji to order, adding that Abians are yearning
for dividends of democracy and the governor has the responsibility to provide
them. Sounding philosophical, Kalu said that he is confident that this “move
will also come to pass because no human being except God has the power to
determine any other person’s destiny.”
Source: Sun
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