Iraqs Minister of Higher Education Abdul Razzaq al-Issa warned on March 8 educational academies against allowing election candidates from campaigning at their campuses. Issa reiterated the warning on April 5, nine days before the launch of the electoral campaigns, saying that “any on-campus member will be suspended if he is involved in promoting any candidate inside universities.” Some sides, however, reported that outgoing Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi had violated Issa’s orders by holding an event to promote his electoral al-Nasr alliance at the University of Diyala on Saturday. Many angry political parties, activists and observers accused Abadi and senior state officials of exploiting government funds to promote their campaigns. Al-Nasr’s spokesman alliance Hussein al-Adli said that alliance officials “do not take advantage of state resources.” Such accuses are being made for electoral gains, Adli told Asharq Al-Awsat. “The event at the University of Diyala was not a campus investment as we rented one of the large university auditoriums.” It was also held on a weekend when there were no students present, he added. But journalist and activist Qassem al-Sanjari, who is known for his fierce criticism of political figures, took to Facebook, saying: “Reform is Abadi’s electoral slogan, but he uses state cars and aircraft for his election campaign and his staff as an electronic army." “Renting big halls for different parties to hold various events on public holidays was allowed before the start of election campaigns,” argued Adli. Joining Sanjari’s criticism, Hikma National Movement official spokesman Mohammed Jamil al-Mayahi said that “all state officials, including the prime minister, are exploiting state resources in the service of personal electoral campaigns.” He told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The Electoral Commission did not set specific and clear criteria to prevent officials from capitalizing on their government posts during electoral campaigns.” “There is no equal opportunity among candidates. Government officials running for posts can move and promote easily, but the average candidate finds it difficult to do so,” he said. The elections are scheduled for May 12.