The Senate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), has rejected the removal of Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as Vice Chancellor of the institution by the Governing Council.
At an emergency meeting held yesterday by 88 members and anchored by a former Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Chioma Ago, the institution’s Senate said the removal of the embattled Ogundipe was in contravention of UNILAG’s regulation, as the Council removed the VC without giving him the opportunity to defend himself.
The Senate subsequently declared Ogundipe’s sack illegal on the ground that there was no notification to the vice chancellor concerning the allegations against him, no investigation panel set up to investigate the allegations in line with the university’s Act, lack of fair-hearing, no formal report from any investigative committee and no consideration of report of an investigative committee since none was set up as provided in the law.
The Senate also kicked against the appointment of Prof. Omololu Soyombo as Acting Vice Chancellor of the institution saying, there’s no room for any “surrogate VC”.
The academic and non-academic unions of the university called on President Muhammadu Buhari to dissolve the governing council of the institution.
The Senate said that by virtue of the UNILAG Act, as well as laws and practice of other universities not only in Nigeria but also in other civilised climes, a principal officer could not just be removed on flimsy excuses without regard to laws.
Comments are closed.