Chairman of UNILAG visitation panel rejects reinstatement of Ogundipe as vice-chancellor

The chairman of the Special Visitation Panel set up by the Federal Government to probe the leadership crisis at the University of Lagos, Prof. Tukur Sa’ad, on Thursday faulted the reinstatement of Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as the Vice-Chancellor of the institution.

In a series of letters to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, Sa’ad cast doubts on the integrity of the report and acquittal of Ogundipe.

The professor of Architecture said he agreed to sign the report to avoid another crisis and save the government from embarrassment.

He, however, expressed regret that he had been “stabbed on the back” by people he trusted.

According to him, the recommendation that Ogundipe should be reinstated was limited to the procedure of his termination but did not mean that he was not guilty of all the allegations.

READ ALSO: Buhari restores Ogundipe as UNILAG VC, dissolves Council

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Wednesday approved the reinstatement of Ogundipe as UNILAG vice-chancellor.

He said the removal of the vice-chancellor by the university’s governing council did not follow due process.

Sa’ad said: “The recommendation that the VC should be reinstated was limited to the procedure of his termination. It did not mean he should be absolved of all wrongdoing.”

He stressed that the report of the panel was one-sided because the majority of the members were biased towards Ogundipe and the Terms of Reference were also skewed against the Pro-Chancellor of the institution, Dr. Wale Babalakin, who had since resigned from the position.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now