From Chuks Onuoha and Olunkwa Felix, Umuahia
Soldiers and policemen yesterday descended on students of the Abia State University ABSU, for protesting the planned revocation of the degree awarded former governor of the state, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu by the institution. Kalu had completed his first degree programme at ABSU when he was governor and earned a bachelors degree. Surprisingly, the Abia State government recently threatened that the state s university would revoke the degree, in a move believed to be the continuation of the persecution of the former governor. Yesterday, when ABSU Senate was expected to meet over the matter, hundreds of students had converged on the administrative block as early as 7am.
The students, who were on a peaceful demonstration, were however, dispersed, even as some of them were beaten up and whisked away by combined team of soldiers and mobile policemen. Saturday Sun observed that no fewer than five students were beaten to a pulp and thrown into the waiting vans of the military personnel. While the mobile policemen stormed the campus with security van with the inscription, “MOPOL 28”, the soldiers came with several Hilux vans. The protest had started in a peaceful manner and within thirty minutes, the team of security operatives stormed the campus, beating student, including those who were not part of the protest. In the circumstance, students and staff were seen running helter-skelter for their lives.
It was not immediately clear where the arrested students were taken – to the police station or to army barracks, since both outfits were involved in the operation. Some of the Placards the students were carrying read: “NO TO REVOCATION OF OUK’S DEGREE.” “OUK IS ONE OF US.” “THIS INHUMAN TREATMENT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE TOMMORROW.” “IT IS OUK TODAY, IT CAN BE ANYBODY TOMMORROW.” “GOVERNMENT SHOULD SAVE OUR FUTURE.” “DEGREE FROM THIS UNIVERSITY MAY NOT BE CREDIBLE AFTER THIS.” “POLITICS SHOULD NOT BE MIXED WITH EDUCATION.” Two students who did not disclose their names said they were on their way for lectures when the security men started beating everybody.
“We were just going for lectures when I had a slap from the back, only for me to look and it was from a soldier; they started beating me and my friend. We had to run for our life.” Efforts made to reach the PRO of the School, Mr. Acho Elendu, for comments failed as he did not pick his call on his phone, 08037448159. There were hints earlier this week that there were plans by Governor Theodore Orji to invoke his powers as the visitor to the Abia State University and revoke the degree certificate the university awarded to his predecessor. It was learnt that this followed a recommendation of an investigative panel that looked into a spurious petition lodged against the certificate issued several years ago. Kalu had cut his degree programme at the University of Maiduguri and had transferred his transcript records and other details to Abia State University, where he completed the programme.
Inside source at the university senate said the matter to revoke Chief Kalu’s certificate was not discussed at the senate, that the Vice Chancellor only announced to members that decision had been taken on it. According to the source, when the former Vice Chancellor, Prof Ogwo, raised his hand to make a comment, the VC told him that whatever he said on the matter would not affect anything, because a decision had been taken on it. It was also learnt that the senate had dismissed the recommendation of the panel because it was hurriedly put together and did not follow due process. Senate had also noted that the report was hurriedly done and the Vice Chancellor, as at the time of the report, was never invited to give evidence during investigation. Neither Kalu nor others considered to be central figures in the petition were invited to testify.
Reliable sources revealed early this week that those interested in the matter allegedly had mounted pressure on the senate to revisit the issue. A senior member of the academic community warned that: “They should not bring politics into academics because it will destroy the institution. Offers have been made to some members after some of us rejected the bid.” Former Governor Kalu, who was outside the country, remarked that the Abia State Government’s latest move has shown the level of desperation of the government.
He spoke through his aide, Kunle Oyewunmi and said: “It is obvious that this shameless desperation was provoked by my return to 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?” He called on well-meaning people of Abia State and Nigeria to call T. A. Orji to order, adding that Abians are yearning for dividends of democracy and the government has the responsibility to provide them. He said: “This move will also come to pass because no human being, except God, has the power to determine any other person’s destiny.”
both OUK and TA ORJI are foolish set of people , why will it be now the revocation will take place ? two of them are idol worshipers OKIJA SHRINE GOD pass them
My friend be objective for once who is planning the revocation is it not the sitting governor.perharps you do not understand the grave implication for students and graduates of that school,if due to political differences a degree approved by the senate of a university,is withdrawn,without genuine reason.
there is no smoke without fire.
why did they want to revoke orji’s degree. was it becuase he bought his way through the degree or because he had an issue with the current governor. let them tell us the reason first. the students should not allow themselves to be killed by gettin involved in matter that has nothing to do with thier education. was orji kalu a union member of the uni. students, please face your studies. kalu is big enough to defend himself.
THIS WICKED POLITICIANS KNOW HOW TO RESOLVE ISSUES AMONG THEMSELVES. ICURIOUS TO KNOW HOW HE MANAGED TO PASS THROUGH THE UNI, WHILE STILL GOVERNOR.
You guys appear not to see the far reaching implication of that action if executed,on the graduates,so they have a stake .How am I sure the rest of the certificates awarded are genuine,can you now see why the students must resist the politically motivated intention.
I have always said it plain and clear that the battle in this country is not ethnic or tribe as politicians will make us believe. The battle is between the people and the government and between good and evil. Many Igbos have been killed and molested during the reign of this present chief of army staff than any time in history after the civil war. Same thing happened during Ogbonnaya Onovo as IG of police,where mortuaries in Enugu could not contain copses of those illegally killed by police. If I may ask,what business has the army got to do with the demonstrating students who were just protesting to save the name and image of their institution from this political scavengers. You see this unnecessary show of power by our armed forces against harmless civilians must be resisted with all cost. Look at cowards who are been wrestled to their knees by BH went there to flex muscles with students. GEJ and his excessive use of the armed forces with a little provocation must be checkmated and curtailed.
Imagine poor students going to die for two elephants that have looted billions from the abia state treasury and the nation at large… you students should not go and waste your precious lives for nothing, because they know them selves and tomorrow they will still settle. leave them to enjoy their national cakes.
Please people should allow T A Orji to slay Kalu Orji. These two are evil and wicked. The Bible says “evil shall slay the wicked” In our presence, Orji made T A governor of Abia even when T A was still in maximum kirikiri, Lagos, against the cry of Abians. He sowed the evil seed for personal gains. Now the evil seeds has grown and everyone around it is being slain including the sower. The sower must be devoured. Only fools will protest in favour of Orji. He should be allowed to rip from this seed he sowed single-handedly.
My concern is not about O U Kalu, but other ABSU certificate holders. It is kalu 2day, it might be another person 2morrow. Abians should speak out to save their institution.
UNFORTUNATELY THE REASON (S) FOR THE REVOCATION IS NOT ENOUGH. POLITICS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO RUIN THE INTEGRITY OF OUR HIGHER INSTITUTION. WHY SHOULD THE INSTITUTION THAT AWARDED THE DEGREE YEARS BACK COME BACK TO REVOKE THE SAME CERTIFICATE IT ISSUE. HAS OUR CERTIFICATE BECOME SO INFERIOR THAT IT COULD BE AWARDED AND REVOKED AT WILL. SAVE THIS FROM CORRUPTION GOD BLESS NIGERIA.
Pls, do not repay evil with evil, but rather repay evil with good, says Jesus Christ the founder of Christanity. T A should bear in mind that one day he will become former governor as Kalu is addressed today. Everybody should be very conscious of Law of Retributive Justice. for the sake of peace
T A Orji shud be cal 2 order. This man is gradually losing sanity. Pity 2 his accolyte who are bent on carrying dis evil plot.
The VC should open up on his discussion with T.A.Orji and expose this ingrate who prouds himself today as a governor forgetting that tomorrow he has to abdicate the post to someone else.Why can this fool leave OUK alone for goodness sake,and concentrate on governance.Nigerians should please call this inglorious bastard to order.
This time to put politics away from education sector.
I really want to know if it is within the constitutional ambit of the governor to revoke peoples’ degree i.e. their indigenes. If so, where is the academic autonomy of our institutions and the federal constitution if the degree is genuine? This is because, it will be absurd for one man to wake up one morning and decides to revoke others hard earned certificate. However, nobody knows the authenticity of this OU Kalu’s result. They can tear themselves to pieces for all I care. Goodluck to both of them.
Politics taken too far.Does this man think he will be governor forever.I am certain that by the time the duo of ouk and T a be at the same wavelength as ex governors,all the state apparatus at the disposal of the governor withdrawn,the chicken will come home to roost,am certain that ouk will run this unthinking governor out of Abia .Rubbish
I wonder why academicians should be made to act like illiterates? The story and fight have just began. Let the grasses suffer.
Abians should ask TA Orji to use all the time and money he is putting into revoking Orji Kalus certificate to use it to work for Abia people. Honestly, TA Orji is an ingrate and the worst fool called governor in Nigeria. He was in prison when OrJI Kalu made him governor and this is the reason why he does not have any good agenda for the good people of Abia. If Orji kalu failed during his time, Why can”t he redeem Abia people by doing what kalu did not do during his own tenure to bring dividends of democracy to Abia people?
Does he think that he can be governor forever? I do not know why the people of Abia whose future has been mortgaged by this monster called TA orji are keeping quiet till now and rather than moving out on the street to protest against the continue stay in office of this incompetent man. TA orji has completely lost focus on governance .
TA Orji has the opportunity to write his name in Gold in Abia state by focusing on developmental projects and delivering on the dividends of democracy but rather than doing that, he has decided to pocket the allocations of Abia people and using some for useless and unrealistic ventures and propaganda. Every day, u read on silver bird tv of the fictitious projects he is doing in Abia but when u go to Abia, nothing to show .Who is fooling who and time will tell!!
Hmmm. Fool to TA Orji
That is the kingdom of darkness for you. Citizens of this kingdom are intrinsically evil. Even though they hug and laugh, underneath all these is the dog-eat-dog L.C.M that runs in their blood. No person should mingle in the fight of the spirits, otherwise they get knocked down by their whims and caprices. Both of them got what they deserve. Any students who go siding any of them is a part of the wasted generation.
T A Orji is not educated because if he do,he will know the implication of what he is doing.I find it difficult to say i,m from Abia state because of this useless and faceless man called T A Orji,he should know that 2015 is not far even if his son succeeds him,he will be prosecuted.
Well, this is what is obtainable from a state university. ABSU has no credibility. They are leading in Cultism, admission racket and bribery. There is nothing good in that university. The Senate has allowed TA Orji to further brought their credibility into question because he has made a good offer to some of those concerned. How can they revoke a degree awarded to the ex living governor?
Anyway, this is what Orji Kalu deserved. He single handedly impose TA Orji to the people of Abia State and now he is using him to practice politics of bitterness. This ex convict was in prison and without campaign, he said, to have won the election and was released to take office. So the evil Kalu Orji did, are now living after him. You cannot eat your cake and have it.
Good enough, Orji Kalu knows how to handle his case, so any student who died during the cross fire, die on his own.
But does the army and police has the right to kill them? The Univeristy governing council should be held responsible.
What do you expect from a prisoner?
A political fight indeed !! Let them separate politics from education.
@ ORJI UZOR KALU, the little boy you picked from the gutter yesterday has grown to an adult.It seems he learnt more than you taught him and now challenging you.
@ T. A. ORJI,an okro plant can not grow taller than the planter.Now you have all the powers,exercise your powers now because by 2015 you MUST NOT be there as the Governor of Abia State.Use all the State Resources and fight your boss who brought you out from the prison.
@ ABSU VC,you are joining issues with politicians.I hope you knew that once the Governor leaves office you are leaving with him.Another Governor will like to install his own VC that will be loyal to him.Why didn’t you tell Nigerians the fault of Former Governor.How much have you collected from T.A. Orji? Nothing was discussed at the Senate meeting which means you have discussed and sealed everything with the University “Visitor”.
@ ABSU STUDENTS,you guys should try and stay off the case.I know it will bring shame to the University.I don’t want any student to die in the hands of the Army and Police as it happened few days back at Nasarawa State University.Uptil now nobody has claimed the responsibility of the death of those students.
when a foolish man got power,what do you expect?
T A ORJI IS A GOAT. HE LACKS SENSE. I THINK, T A ORJI IS A MAD MAN.
T A ORJI, this is taking desperation too far. How can you unabashedly bite the finger that fed you? Remember what the great Zik told Ukpabi Asika: NO CONDITION IS PERMANENT! Be advised. You have only two years to be governor. What happens after? Remember you were nobody before OUK laundered you. I advise you to settle your personal quarrels with your benefactor in your own ultimate interest. Those who are prodding you now to fight OUK will abandon you like a hag once you leave govt house in two years time. Remember that a friend who cares for your future gave you this counsel.
We the members of igbo youth congress will soon come into this Abia matter if our elders in ohneze Ndigbo dosnt , cos both Abia poly students and umudike student and Absu have been complaing of constant fee increase and during SUG demonstration the school authorities will disolve them .let keep watching TA to no if him and chinedu can repent .