UNILAG Alumni asks Governing Council to revert to status quo, follow due process over sack of VC

The Alumni Association of the University of Lagos has advised the school’s Governing Council to revert to the status quo and follow due process in respect of the sack of Vice-Chancellor Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.

The Alumni Association offered the counsel on Friday after an emergency meeting was held.

“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,” the Alumni Association said in a statement.

“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.”

The Alumni Association added that it will not “relent in its efforts” to help differing parties within the University reach an amicable resolution.

Some union members at the University of Lagos had protested Ogundipe’s sack.

The University’s Senate, after an emergency meeting on Thursday, also rejected the Vice-Chancellor’s sack and passed vote-of-no confidence on the Governing Council.

However, in a press briefing on Friday, the University’s Pro-Chancellor, Wale Babalakin insisted that the sacking of Ogundipe was fair and followed due process.

“I assure you that there was full compliance with the law in the removal of the Vice-Chancellor,” he said.  (Channels TV)