The crisis at the University of Lagos, UNILAG, deepened on Thursday as the Senate of the institution passed of vote of no confidence on the Governing Council of the institution chaired by Dr. Wale Babalakin.
The declaration is part of the resolutions taken at its emergency meeting held on Thursday over the sack of Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as the Vice Chancellor by the governing council.
Also, the Senate rejected the council’s appointment of Professor Theophilus Omololu Soyombo as the Acting Vice Chancellor of the university.
While rejecting the removal of Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as Vice Chancellor by the Governing Council, the Senate reaffirmed its confidence in him, declaring him the genuine office holder.
In its assessment of the removal of Ogundipe, the Senate said the Governing Council violated Section 3(8), (9), (10) and (11) of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions)(Amendment ) Act, 2003 on the removal of the Vice-Chancellor of any Federal University in Nigeria.
The Senate said contrary to the rule, it was not invited to participate in any Joint Committee of Council and Senate.
Other infractions, the Senate stated, included that:
“It (Senate) received the news of the removal of the Vice Chancellor from office of the social media.
“The purported appointment of an Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos breaches Section 3(8)(13) of the Act.
“Due process was not followed in the purported appointment of the Acting Vice Chancellor as the Senate was neither informed nor invited to forward its recommendation to Council.
“Its functions and its powers have been completely appropriated by the Council in breach of the Law.”
It would be recalled that the Governing Council on Wednesday removed Ogundipe as Vice Chancellor and appointed Soyombo to act.
Ogundipe had, in a swift reaction, declared that he remained the Vice Chancellor of the institution.
