* We’re not aware Ogundipe has been sacked – FG
* Council names acting VC
There is confusion in the prestigious University of Lagos (UNILAG) where the Governing Council announced on Wednesday that it has sacked the Vice Chancellor, Professor Toyin Ogundipe, a development which the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) condemned and dismissed as a joke.
Already, the management of the university has announced the appointment of an acting Vice Chancellor in the person of Professor Theophilus Omololu Soyombo.
Soyombo is of the Faculty of Social Sciences.
But the Federal government has so far said it is not aware of Ogundipe’s removal as VC of UNILAG.
Trouble started on Wednesday when the Governing Council of the university announced Ogundipe’s removal for alleged financial impropriety and gross misconduct.
The information was contained in a statement issued by the institution’s Registrar, Mr. Oladejo Azeez.
The announcement followed a meeting of the University Council held the headquarters of the National Universities Commission (NUC) Abuja. The meeting was chaired by the University’s Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Wale Babalakin.
However, the embattled vice-chancellor has dismissed his purported removal as untrue and a figment of the imagination of those behind the plot.
In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, the chairman of ASUU, UNILAG chapter, Dr. Dele Ashiru, accused Babalakin of being behind the plot.
He said: “His removal is illegal and uncalled for. Our union condemns in the strongest term the purported removal. It is the machination of the pro-chancellor to destabilise this university.
“We reaffirm our confidence in the leadership of Prof. Toyin Ogindipe as Vice-Chancellor of the university.”
But the Federal government said it has not been briefed by the institution’s Governing Council regarding the developments in UNILAG.
The government, through a statement by the Director of Press in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Ben Goong, said it awaits proper briefing from UNILAG authorities on the matter.
It, however, said the Governing Council has the power to hire and sack staff in the institution.
The statement read: “My dear colleagues, the Federal Ministry of Education wishes to state that it is yet to be briefed on the developments at the University of Lagos regarding the purported removal of the VC.
“While the ministry awaits for the proper briefing from the university authorities, it is important to reaffirm that council has the power to hire and fire, but that due process must be followed in doing so.”
Meanwhile, the management of the institution has announced the appointment of Professor Theophilus Omololu Soyombo of the Faculty of Social Sciences as the acting the Vice Chancellor of the University.