ABSU Suspends Professor Over Keke Riders Salary Claim

Abia State University (ABSU) suspended Professor Nnamdi Nwaeze from the Department of Economics for a Facebook post where he claimed that some tricycle operators, known as Keke riders, earn more than certain professors at the university. Nwaeze alleged that some professors earn less than N400,000 monthly, suggesting that the cumulative income of Keke riders surpasses that of some academic staff.

The university management deemed his comments detrimental to its interests and announced his immediate suspension, stating that the remarks could embarrass the institution. A panel was constituted to investigate the circumstances surrounding his statements.

The suspension has elicited reactions, particularly from the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which condemned the action as intolerant. Eric Ikwuagwu, the party's Assistant Publicity Secretary, emphasized the historical role of academics in Nigeria's pro-democracy struggles and criticized the suspension in a democratic context.