Istanbul University has revoked the diploma of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu. The university stated that 28 individuals, including Imamoğlu, were found to have transferred irregularly into the English-language Business Administration program in 1990, in violation of Higher Education Council regulations. Their diplomas were annulled on the grounds of “nullity” and “clear procedural error.”
Following the cancellation of his diploma, Ekrem Imamoğlu was taken into custody as part of an ongoing investigation on terrorism and corruption.
Professor Emin Gürses shared his assessment of the developments with UWI. The interview was conducted before Imamoğlu’s arrest.
To become president
I had said this before, if Imamoğlu starts touring Anatolian cities, the Interior Ministry would remove him from office. If it is a meeting of municipalities, that’s one thing. But what Imamoğlu does is not a meeting; it’s political campaigning. He openly says he wants to become president and overthrow Tayyip Erdoğan. This is something entirely different.
I asked my sources why is he doing this? They said, ‘Well, he’s making noise to prevent his removal’. I thought, if the Interior Ministry doesn’t immediately dismiss him and launch an investigation, then Ekrem Imamoğlu will be arrested. Look, he’s a mayor, he has responsibilities and a defined jurisdiction. If he steps outside of that, the Interior Ministry, through the governor, has the authority to remove him. If he resigns or is removed, someone else is appointed from the municipal council. So, if the Interior Ministry and the governor haven’t acted yet, then it’s likely that Imamoğlu will be arrested soon.
Terrorism links?
They must have some information linking him to terrorism. People aren’t just arrested for no reason. They likely gathered intelligence from previous detainees. Now the question is: will more arrests follow? It’s possible. How? If those who were arrested start talking and telling what they did, who they did it with, then others will be summoned too.
This state has institutions. It remains silent, but it acts according to its rules often when you least expect it. Something you did 35 years ago can still come back to haunt you. And if there’s a terrorism connection, a trustee will be appointed to run the Istanbul Municipality.
I’ve been hearing this: Imamoğlu appoints his people to key municipal roles. His close allies are placed in municipalities to oversee operations. In cities like Diyarbakır, for example, you have PKK-linked individuals being sent from PKK with instructions to stay close to the mayors and monitor their activities.
“I’ve warned before”
I warned those around Imamoğlu. I said that they’re making a mistake. Imamoğlu should focus on doing his job properly as mayor. If he does, the people might even elect him president.
Remember when Tayyip Erdoğan was mayor. He performed his duties as a real mayor. He didn’t go hold rallies to become president when mayor. He focused on his job. Ekrem Imamoğlu, on the other hand, has been running an effective presidential campaign while still holding the office of mayor. That’s why he has been warned by key state institutions. They told him, “Mr. Mayor, please continue your work as a mayor. You are not a presidential candidate.” This is how the state operates; it warns when necessary. And when needed, the state can act as we’ve seen with the cancellation of Imamoğlu’s diploma. Even an incident from 35 years ago can resurface if deemed relevant.