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Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has launched a scathing indictment of Imo State University (IMSU), depicting it as a cesspool of corruption and systemic failure. During an emergency meeting with the university’s Governing Council about a week ago, the Governor vowed to dismantle entrenched admission fraud, academic malpractices, and governance rot, citing damning reports of racketeering linked to key sections of the institution.
Uzodimma’s intervention calls to mind an earlier revelation from an Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) investigation exposing a JAMB admission racketeering syndicate operating within IMSU. The probe implicated staff in the Vice Chancellor’s office for colluding to admit unqualified students in exchange for bribes. “This institution must regain its credibility,” Uzodimma declared, demanding an immediate audit of all admissions since 2020. “There will be no tolerance for shortcuts or negligence.”
The Governor’s fury echoed wider reports of malfeasance. Law graduates were allegedly forced to pay exorbitant fees for Law School application forms, while Medical Laboratory Science students reportedly faced a “inducement-for-induction” scheme, with staff withholding certifications unless bribes were paid. Most egregious was the case of Dr. Ngozi Lemchi, former Provost of Alvan Ikoku College of Education, who was elevated from PhD to Professorship within six months – in defiance of known due processes – sparking allegations of cronyism and academic fraud.
Uzodimma lambasted IMSU’s leadership for fostering a culture of impunity, with staff allegedly neglecting duties while prioritizing illicit gains.
Infrastructure decay and bureaucratic paralysis have further crippled operations, leaving students stranded during critical examinations and accreditation processes.
The Governor ordered a full digitization of IMSU’s operations to curb fraud, alongside disciplinary panels to probe indicted personnel.
He however promised the full support of the government in restoring the integrity of IMSU, but warned that state funding would hinge on compliance with anti-corruption benchmarks.
Rev. Fr. Prof. Philip Ogbonna, IMSU’s Governing Board Chairman, welcomed the Governors reform drive and pledged to implement a “transparency roadmap,” including anti-graft training, performance audits, and accreditation reviews.
The session with the Governor included the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Uche Chukwumaeze, who has yet to publicly address the ICPC’s findings, alongside board members Leo Stan Eke and Rt. Hon Chuma Nnaji.
