Iraq’s Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Abdul Razzaq al-Issa announced on Sunday that he will not play a “part in any political or electoral agenda” in the upcoming May 12 parliamentary elections. Following suit, the Ministry of Higher Education directed all Iraqi universities to keep campuses clear from the flare of election campaigns. “The position the Ministry takes is clear from the beginning, it is against involving universities that have a specific academic and scientific identity in politics, including election seasons,” Issa said in a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat. Issa added that the development of institutions of higher education requires fundamental pillars which reflect the identity of academic institutions on scientific, cognitive and cultural premises. “We will take special measures against those who prove their involvement-- and here I refer here to some university presidents whom we have been known to have employed universities they head an arena serving political and electoral agendas for candidates from different parties,” Issa warned. He explained that some university chairmen are driven by the need to shore up their current positions through political influence. “Such models will not be suitable for the management of the future of academic institutions whose primary mission is to preserve the academic merit and university independence,” he added. “Since I took office, I have said that I will not be part of any political or electoral agenda in any way,” he reaffirmed. Baghdad political observers believe that some ministers might seek securing a seat in parliament in hopes of obtaining judicial immunity from prosecution against accumulated corruption files condemning their ministerial record. On universities holding campaign rallies and partaking in convoluted political elections, the University of Diyala filed a lawsuit against the member of the Education Committee Representative Ghaida Kambash. In a Sunday statement, the university’s board, headed by President Abbas Fadhil Jawad Jar-Allah Al - Dulaimi, said it convened an emergency session discussing a media misstatement made by Kambash accusing the university of holding election conferences. The university’s board added that “charges are not valid,” and pointed out that the university council unanimously denounced this claim. After declaring a collective statement, the university took-to-court and filed a lawsuit against MP Ghidaa Kambesh based on articles (211-433) of the Iraqi Penal Code No. (111) amended in 1969. MP Kambash, representing Diyala province, within a coalition of Iraqi parties, accused the University of Diyala of holding election conferences, calling on the Higher Education and Scientific Research Ministry of schedule a probe into the campus’ undertakings. In this regard, the Ministry of Higher Education does not limit itself to routine investigation procedures in such cases. It has also exempted some unqualified university chairmen for a period of time, employing legal powers on decommissioning.