UNILAG Alumni Says Council Did Not Follow Due Process In Removing VC

The Alumni Association of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has joined those who insist that the Governing Council of the university did not follow due process in the removal of the Vice Chancellor, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.

The association therefore called on the Council chaired by Wale Babalakin SAN and other parties in the crisis to reach an amicable settlement.

President of the School’s Alumni (Worldwide),
John Momoh OON, said in a statement that the decision was reached at its emergency meeting held on Friday, 14th August, 2020.

Recall that the University Governing Council had on Wednesday, removed the Vice Chancellor, alleging financial misappropriation by him.

But Ogundipe maintained that his purported sack could not stand because it did not follow due process.

Also, the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Universities in Nigeria, through its Secretary General, Prof. Yakubu Aboki Ochefu, said that due process had been breached in the VC’s removal.

Furthermore, the University Senate, in a statement signed by Chairman, Senate Emergency Committee, Professor Chioma K Agomo, rejected the removal of the VC while calling for the dissolution of the Council.

But Babalakin insisted that due process was followed in Ogundipe’s removal, adding that it was only a selected few that were trying to defend the embattled VC.

However, a Senate Representative in Council also claimed that the votes that took place was in favor(6-4) of Ogundipe.

Hence, the Alumni stressed that without throwing blames, it wants the relevant stakeholders to do the right within the provisions of the Universities Act.

It also urged the Council to retract the statement of the VC’s removal decided at the August 12 meeting, as it works towards bringing peace to the University Community.

The statement further reads:

“Without prejudice to the general powers of the University Governing Council to appoint and remove a Vice Chancellor under the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act 2003 (No. 1 2007), and without apportioning any blame to either the Governing Council or the Vice Chancellor, the University of Lagos Alumni is of the view that before the Council can exercise such powers, it must follow due process, particularly as mandatorily provided under section 3(8), (9) and (10) of the Act in the removal of the Vice Chancellor and Section 3(13) in the appointment of an acting Vice Chancellor.

“Therefore, the Alumni counsels the Governing Council that the status quo ante the Council meeting of Wednesday, 12th August, 2020, be restored while the Alumni continues with its efforts at ensuring that lasting peace and harmony reign on the Campus as between the Council and the University Management in particular, and all sections of the University community in general, including the Senate, students, staff, all Associations, particularly ASUU, NASU, SSANU, NAAT, etc.

“Meanwhile, the Alumni Association recalls all its assiduous efforts in the past two years to bring about an amicable resolution of the misunderstandings between the Council and the University Management, and promises all and sundry that it will not relent in its efforts at mediation.”