Sacked UNILAG VC Ogundipe heads to court

 

The sacked Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has engaged a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, to file a suit to challenge his removal from office.

 

His letter of instruction dated August 12, 2020 and addressed to Ozekhome was seen by our correspondent on Thursday.

 

Ogundipe stated 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 to Ozekhome which was borne 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’.

It partly read, “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 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.