The sacked Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has contacted a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, to file a suit to challenge his removal from office.
This was revealed to AMILOADED in his letter of instruction dated August 12, 2020 and addressed to Ozekhome on Thursday.
Prof. Ogundipe disclosed in the letter that the act of the Governing Council of the university “purportedly removing” him from office was “illegal and unconstitutional”, adding that it was “carried out without due process and contrary to the University Act and other extant laws governing discipline, suspension and removal of the Vice-Chancellor of the university”.
His instruction on his official letterhead was titled, ‘Instruction to institute legal action against the Council and Pro-Chancellor and others of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos’.
“I hereby formally brief you to institute legal proceedings against the Council, Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos and others based on their illegal and unconstitutional act of purportedly removing me from office as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos.
“I honestly believe that this action was carried out without due process and contrary to the University Act and other extant laws governing discipline, suspension and removal of the Vice-Chancellor of the University.
“I humbly urge you to use your legal experience to redress this grave injustice meted out to me,” the letter partly reads.
It would be recalled that the rift between the Vice-Chancellor and the Chairman, Governing Council of the institution, Dr Wale Babalakin, SAN, came to a head-on Wednesday as the Council announced the removal from office of the VC after a meeting held in Abuja.
It was gathered that 12 members of the Council were present at the meeting and seven voted for the VC’s removal, four voted against and one voted that he be placed on suspension.
The University of Lagos Act 1962, stipulates a 14-member Governing Council to comprise the Pro-Chancellor, Chancellor, the VC, the two Deputy Vice-Chancellors, a representative of the Ministry of Education, one person representing a variety of interests.
Others are four persons appointed by the Senate of the University, two persons appointed by the Congregation and one person appointed by Convocation.
The Council, in a statement signed by the Registrar/ Secretary to the Council, Oladejo Azeez, said Ogundipe was removed from office based on alleged wrongdoing.
The statement was titled “Notice to the general public on the removal of the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos.”
The statement read,” The general public is hereby notified that at an emergency meeting held on Wednesday, 12th August 2020 and in accordance with the statutory powers vested in it by law, the Governing Council of the University of Lagos removed Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, FAS, from office as the Vice-Chancellor of the university with immediate effect.
“The decision was based on Council’s investigations of serious acts of wrongdoing, gross misconduct, financial recklessness and abuse of office against Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, FAS.
“Thank you.”
The sacking of the vice-chancellor was announced at a meeting of the Governing Council of UNILAG held at the National Universities Commission in Abuja on Wednesday.
While seven members of the council were said to have voted for the removal of Ogundipe, four voted against it while one of them voted that he should rather be placed on suspension.
The meeting was chaired by the UNILAG Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of its Governing Council, Dr Wale Babalakin, SAN.
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