“Govt Not Involved In ABSU Lecturer’s Suspension” — Ekeoma

_Says University Has Internal Mechanisms To Handle Staff Discipline_

UMUAHIA, Abia State – The Abia State Government has denied involvement in the suspension of a Professor of Economics at Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), Professor Nnamdi Nwaeze, saying the institution has the capacity to handle its internal disciplinary matters.

The clarification was made by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, while responding to insinuations that the state government influenced the suspension.

Ekeoma said the government operates within due process and will not interfere in the internal affairs of the university.

“People have been suspended in that school. People have been investigated, found guilty and expelled. So whoever is trying to organize it does not understand how this government functions,” he said.

“People have been suspended, people have been investigated, found guilty and expelled. The Governor is too big to condescend too low to direct the university to suspend anyone.

He added that if the university had reasons to suspend any lecturer, it would rely on its established procedures.

“So the university, if they had reasons to suspend any of the lecturers, would believe that they would use the same internal mechanism to resolve what the problems are. So the state government will not get involved. The governor will not get involved,” Ekeoma stated.

The Special Adviser emphasised that the suspension of the lecturer was purely an institutional matter.

“The suspension of the lecturer has nothing to do with the state government,” he concluded.

ABSU management had suspended Professor Nnamdi Nwaeze, a lecturer in the Department of Economics, over social media posts attributed to him.

According to the university management, the posts were considered inappropriate and potentially damaging to the interests of the institution, as well as uncomplimentary towards the Visitor of the University.