President Muhammadu Buhari, as Visitor to the University of Lagos on Friday constituted a Visitation Panel to look into the crisis in the university, even as he directed the Pro Chancellor, Dr Wale Babalakin SAN, and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe ro recuse themselves from office pending the report of the visitation panel.
The Visitation Panel is expected to submit its report within two weeks. Meanwhile, the Senate of the University have been mandated by the President to convene immediately and chose as Acting Vice-Chancellor. This directive effectively sacks the acting Vice Chancellor appointed by the Babalakin led governing council.
Meanwhile, persons close to Prof Ogundipe refuted claims that the National Industrial Court refused the application he filed. They claimed that the industrial court is yet to conduct any proceedings on the case.
The source 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”, he said.
