UNILAG Senate withdraws suit challenging Ogundipe’s removal

The Senate of the University of Lagos on Monday applied for the withdrawal of a suit challenging the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, by the governing council.

The decision to withdraw the suit followed the senate’s appointment of Prof. Folasade Ogunsola as UNILAG vice-chancellor in compliance with the Federal Government’s directive on the crisis rocking the institution.

The federal government had last week ordered Ogundipe and UNILAG Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Wale Babalakin, to recuse themselves until the Special Visitation Panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the crisis in the university completed its assignment.

The government also directed the UNILAG Senate to immediately reconvene and appoint an acting vice-chancellor for the institution.

In the suit marked NICN/LA/283/2020, filed at the Nigeria Industrial Court, the UNILAG Senate rejected the removal of Ogundipe by the council and his subsequent replacement with Prof. Theophilus Soyombo as acting vice-chancellor of the institution.

READ ALSO: Prof Ogunsola emerges UNILAG acting VC

The Senate urged the court to declare Ogundipe’s removal as null and void.

It also asked the court to stop Soyombo from parading himself as UNILAG acting vice-chancellor.

The university governing council, Babalakin, the Registrar and Mr. Oladejo Azeez were listed as respondents in the suit.

But on Monday, the Senate filed the application to withdraw the suit through its counsel, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN).

The lawyer told journalists that the decision to withdraw the suit followed the latest developments in the university.

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