The Senate of the University of Lagos (Unilag) has informed the National Industrial Court of its intention to withdraw the suit challenging the removal of the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
Ogundipe was removed by the university’s Governing Council on August 12.
The council replaced him with Prof. Theophilus Soyombo as Acting VC.
The defendants in the suit marked NICN/LA/283/2020 were the governing council, its now ‘suspended’ Chairman, Dr Wale Babalakin (SAN); the Registrar, Mr Oladejo Azeez; Soyomo and Ogundipe.
The senate, through its counsel, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), had in the suit prayed the court to declare that Ogundipe’s removal was null and void.
The senate also prayed the court to restrain Soyombo from parading himself as Unilag’s acting VC.
However, at today’s proceedings, the senate informed the court that it’s decision to withdraw the suit followed President Muhammadu Buhari’s intervention in the crisis.
“The president had asked both Babalakin and Ogundipe to step aside pending the outcome of a visitation panel to be inaugurated on Wednesday.
The president also reversed Soyombo’s appointment as Unilag’s Acting VC.
The president also directed the senate to reconvene to nominate an acting vice-chancellor from among its members.
Consequently, the senate elected the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services) Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, the Acting VC.
