FACT-CHECK: THE VIRAL “ABSU LECTURER’S LAMENT” IS ANONYMOUS, UNSUBSTANTIATED AND SERIOUSLY MISLEADING
The Facebook post attributed vaguely to “an ABSU lecturer” contains no name, staff number, department, promotion letter, payslip, payroll record, union statement or official correspondence.
It therefore cannot reasonably be presented as established fact.
VERDICT: A MIXTURE OF UNVERIFIED ALLEGATIONS, MISSING CONTEXT AND DEMONSTRABLY INACCURATE GENERALISATIONS.
1. THE CLAIM THAT PROMOTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN EFFECTED IS FALSE AS A GENERAL STATEMENT
In August 2025, the ABSU Governing Council publicly announced the approval of promotions for numerous academic and non-academic employees, including Professors, Readers and Senior Lecturers who had reportedly remained stagnant for several years.
Therefore, it is factually incorrect to declare broadly that promotions have not been effected.
Whether a particular lecturer’s new salary has been reflected is a separate, individual payroll question. That lecturer should produce:
- The promotion letter
- The effective date
- The old and current payslips
- Correspondence with the Bursary
- Evidence that the complaint remains unresolved
Without these documents, the dramatic claim remains an allegation—not proof.
2. THE POST CONCEALS OTTI’S CLEARANCE OF THE INHERITED 11-MONTH ABSU SALARY BACKLOG
When Governor Alex Otti assumed office, ABSU workers were already owed approximately 11 months’ salaries accumulated across earlier years.
In January 2024, ABSU unions went on strike over arrears connected to 2011, 2012 and 2022—not salaries newly created by the Otti administration.
By 2025, the ABSU Governing Council confirmed that the inherited 11-month backlog had been cleared and that regular monthly salary payments had been sustained.
A fair assessment must acknowledge this major intervention instead of pretending that the present government inherited a financially healthy university.
3. THE “NEW SALARY STRUCTURE” ARGUMENT IS PRESENTED WITHOUT LEGAL OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTEXT
The available National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission circular on the latest CONUASS adjustment is expressly titled:
“Implementation of the New National Minimum Wage in the Federal Public Service.”
ABSU is a state-owned university, not a federal university.
A federal public-service circular does not automatically become an implemented state payroll instrument merely because some states have adopted similar provisions.
State implementation requires formal approval, budgeting, domestication and payroll integration.
Indeed, even several federal universities reportedly experienced delays in reflecting the Federal Government’s academic salary adjustments.
Therefore, saying “other states have implemented it” is not proof that Abia has violated any binding implementation deadline.
The writer should identify:
- The precise salary circular
- Its effective date
- Whether it legally covers state universities
- The states that have implemented it
- The formal agreement allegedly breached by Abia
4. “ABIA HAS ABUNDANCE OF RESOURCES” IS RHETORIC, NOT A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
A government’s capacity is determined by verified revenue, recurrent obligations, inherited liabilities, workforce size, debt commitments and competing public responsibilities—not by the emotional phrase “abundance of resources.”
The same administration being accused has cleared inherited ABSU salary arrears, restored regular salary payments, approved stalled promotions and authorised fresh academic recruitment.
These are measurable staff-welfare interventions, not signs of abandonment.
5. THERE HAVE BEEN GENUINE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYMENT DISPUTES—BUT THEY MUST NOT BE MISREPRESENTED
In July 2025, approximately 200 persons recruited in 2023 complained that their salaries had stopped and sought regularisation.
ABSU management responded that the appointments were temporary and allegedly affected by irregularities, while the affected workers and ASUU maintained that they possessed appointment letters and had not received disengagement letters.
This was a specific employment-verification dispute—not proof that the entire ABSU workforce was unpaid.
A responsible fact-check must acknowledge both sides instead of converting an unresolved category of appointments into the sweeping claim that all ABSU lecturers are being subjected to “penury.”
THE PROPER POSITION
No lecturer should be denied a legitimately earned promotion salary.
Any verified case should be investigated and corrected promptly, with arrears paid from the approved effective date.
But accountability cannot be built on anonymity, sweeping statements and a photograph designed to ridicule the Governor.
The documented record shows that Governor Alex Otti’s administration:
- Cleared the inherited 11-month ABSU salary backlog
- Maintained regular salaries for verified employees
- Reconstituted the university’s governance structure
- Approved long-delayed promotions across several academic ranks
- Authorised additional recruitment
- Continued investing in the renewal of ABSU
LET THE ACCUSER PRODUCE THE PROMOTION LETTERS, PAYSLIPS, GOVERNMENT CIRCULAR AND OFFICIAL COMPLAINTS.
Until then, this viral post should be treated for what it is:
An unverified personal allegation packaged as a comprehensive verdict on Governor Otti’s administration.
FACTS MUST COME BEFORE FURY.
EVIDENCE MUST COME BEFORE PROPAGANDA.
