President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of University of Lagos, Dr Wale Babalakin, SAN and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, over the lingering crisis.
The announcement was made on Friday night in a short statement signed by the spokesman of the Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Goong.
Babalakin’s Governing Council had, on August 12, sacked Ogundipe as vice-chancellor over alleged financial misappropriation and misconduct.
Ogundipe, however, rejected the council’s decision, saying the University’s due process had not been followed.
Earlier, Ogundipe had discontinued a suit challenging his removal as Vice-Chancellor of the university.
Ogundipe’s decision followed his deference to the authority of President Muhammadu Buhari as the varsity’s Visitor, according to a statement by a member of his legal team, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN).
In the statement, Ogundipe stated that the National Industrial Court, which he earlier approached, had neither sat nor conducted any proceedings in respect of the case.
Ogundipe was, last Wednesday, removed as vice chancellor of UNILAG by the institution’s council, chaired by Mr. Wale Babalakin (SAN).
The statement said: “Contrary to the falsehood being peddled by mischief makers, the National Industrial Court has never sat or conduct any proceedings in respect of the court case filed by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwole Ogundipe.
“No court proceedings ever took place at all and so no decision or ruling has been rendered by the court.
“Indeed, upon detailed consultation with all stakeholders and his supporters in and outside the University, Professor Ogundipe directed his lawyer’s to file a notice of discontinuance of the suit and this has been done on August 21, 2020.”
“This is to defer to the authority of the President as the Visitor of the university as Professor Ogundipe has enough time to challenge his purported removal.
“This falsehood is being spread to malign the court and blackmail the judiciary by enemies of the rule of law and due process.
“The general public is therefore advised to discountenance these mindless fabrications as the handiwork of those who are afraid of subjecting their illegal acts to the true test of probity and to be wary of fake news being peddled in place of truth, especially as they relate to deliberate manipulation of court proceedings.”
