ASUU Urges Buhari To Raise Visitation Panel On UNILAG Crisis

ABUJA - Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) National President Prof Biodun Ogunyemi has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve the crisis rocking the University of Lagos (UNILAG) over the removal of Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as the Vice-Chancellor.

The union advised the President to constitute a Special Visitation Panel to probe the VC’s removal.

Ogundipe was removed by the Wale Babalakin-led Governing Council for alleged financial infractions.

Addressing reporters on Tuesday, Ogunyemi said: “The national leadership of ASUU received the news of the purported removal of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos by the governing council chaired by Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN) with absolute shock and total disappointment.

“We are shocked not because we regard Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as a saint but for the fact that all available evidence indicates that he was not taken through the due process.

“In spite of Dr. Babalakin’s spirited efforts to defend the indefensible, it is now clear to all and sundry that there is more to the story coming from the senior member of the Bar.

“ASUU fully supports UNILAG Senate’s rejection of the Dr. Babalakin-led Governing Council’s ill-informed decision to remove the vice-chancellor.

“We call on the Mr. President, as visitor to University of Lagos, to immediately constitute a Special Visitation Panel to look into the immediate and remote causes of the events that led to the purported removal of Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as VC of UNILAG with a view to bringing all found culpable to book.”

The Nation gathered that the 11th floor office of the Vice-Chancellor is yet to be occupied by the Ag. Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Theophilus Soyombo, who was appointed last Thursday.

Security was tight around the Senate Building yesterday. Our reporter  was denied access on the ground that the VC was not around.

A member of staff of the Information Unit said Soyombo had resumed duties but operating from his departmental office in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

A source said: “Resume to where? He has only resumed on paper.  It is only the media that says he has resumed.  We are waiting for the Federal Government to step into the matter.”