Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: Dr. Wale Babalakin

  • Sacked UNILAG Vice Chancellor May Return to Office Today

    Sacked UNILAG Vice Chancellor May Return to Office Today

    Suspended Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, may return to his seat own Wednesday.

    This is according to The Guardian’s Iyabo Lawal who reported that the return of Pro. Oluwatoyin to the position of UNILAG VC followed the recommendation of the panel set up by the Federal Government to investigate allegations of abuse of office and financial recklessness levelled against him by the Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN) led Governing Council.

    READ ALSO:

    Buhari Approves Appointment of John Momoh as UNILAG Interim Council Chairman

    A source confirmed to The Guardian on the condition of anonymity that Prof. Ogundipe has been exonerated from the charges of corruption and recklessness levelled against him and will return as Vice Chancellor of UNILAG.

    Prof. Ogundipe who had been in loggerheads with the now resigned Chairman of Governing Council, Dr. Babalakin challenged his removal and refused to vacate office.

    Echotitbits had previously reported that the Babalakin-led council named an acting vice-chancellor to take over from Ogundipe pending when a substantive VC would be appointed.

    READ ALSO:

    Activist Sues 50 Persons Including Daystar Pastor Sam Adeyemi Over #EndSARS Protests

    “But following protests from the university community, particularly the Senate and the local chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Federal Government constituted an emergency visitation panel to look into the crisis and come up with recommendations.

    “While the panel was yet to submit its report, Babalakin resigned his chairmanship of the council, faulting the composition of the panel, saying he had no confidence in them”, Iyabo Lawal of The Guardian stated.

  • Sacked UNILAG VC Withdraws Court Case Against Babalakin, Others

    Sacked UNILAG VC Withdraws Court Case Against Babalakin, Others

    Embattled Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Friday withdrew the lawsuit filed at the National Industrial Court to challenge his sacking by the Wale Babalakin-led Governing Council.

    Ogundipe had filed an action at the National Industrial Court in Suit No: NICN/LA/D18/2020 dated August 14, where he joined University of Lagos, Council, Senate, Wale Babalakin, Registrar, and Acting Vice Chancellor appointed by the Council, Theophilus Soyombo, as defendants in the suit.

    Oba Ogunwusi Clarifies Fire Outbreak in Ancient Palace of Ife

    The embattled vice chancellor, in a statement by a member of his legal team, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, said he was no longer going ahead with the legal process which he initiated at the National Industrial Court.

    According to him, “Contrary to the falsehood being peddled by mischief makers, the National Industrial Court has never sat or conduct any proceedings in respect of the court case filed by the Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Professor Oluwole Ogundipe.

    “No court proceedings ever took place at all and so no decision or ruling has been rendered by the court.

    Babalakin-led Governing Council sacks UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ogundipe

    “Indeed, upon detailed consultation with all stakeholders and his supporters in and outside the university, Professor Ogundipe directed his lawyer’s to file a notice of discontinuance of the suit and this has been done on August 21, 2020.

    “This is to defer to the authority of the President as the Visitor of the university as Professor Ogundipe has enough time to challenge his purported removal.

    “This falsehood is being spread to malign the court and blackmail the judiciary by enemies of the rule of law and due process.

    UNILAG VC spent unapproved N120m, his sack legal –  says Babalakin

    “The general public is therefore advised to discountenance these mindless fabrications as the handiwork of those who are afraid of subjecting their illegal acts to the true test of probity and to be wary of fake news being peddled in place of truth, especially as they relate to deliberate manipulation of court proceedings.

    “There was no time that the court sat to fix any date for the case.”

    Idowu Sowunmi

  • How Babalakin orchestrates UNILAG VC controversial ‘sack’ and the backlash

    How Babalakin orchestrates UNILAG VC controversial ‘sack’ and the backlash

    A University of Lagos (UNILAG) Senate Representative in Council, Bola Obho has in a statement sighted by Echotitbits, berated Dr. babalakin saying “the University has been stepped on and ridiculed”.

    Oboh, in the statement accused Babalakin of not following laid down procedure for removing a VC

    According to her: “Babawale Babalakin, the ProChancellor waited for the tenure of Prof. Chukwu and Prof. Familoni to end, to call an Emergency Council meeting.

    “Based on the Dagari report, without allowing the VC defend himself, the ProChancellor called for a vote for the removal of the VC. I (Prof. Oboh), Prof. Odukoya, Prof. Leshi and John Momoh voted against the removal of the VC.

    READ ALSO:

    Babalakin-led Governing Council sacks UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ogundipe

    “Six persons (excluding Babalakin) voted for Babalakin then went ahead to announce the removal of the VC.

    “Dear Senate members, the procedure for removal of persons in office is clear and this was pointed out to Babalakin several times but he turned deaf ears.

    “He said he will announce the Ag. Vice Chancellor at 5pm. I have excused myself that I need to report to Senate members the shameful act currently ongoing. Please let us arise to fight this, Oboh’s statment read.

    In the same vein, the controversially ‘sacked’ Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, says he remains in office, thereby faulting a decision earlier made by the institution’s Governing Council led by Pro Chancellor Dr. Wale Babalakin.

    On Wednesday, it was gathered that seven members of UNILAG’s Governing Council at a meeting that held in Abuja, voted for the Ogundipe’s removal, while four was said to have voted against his removal.

    In a statement he personally signed, Ogundipe, who has been at loggerheads with the Pro Chancellor, Babalakin, reacted hours after the news of his sack rent the air.

    READ ALSO:

    Akeredolu inaugurates Amotekun in Ondo, tasks FG on more police funding

    “The attention of the University of Lagos (Unilag) management has been drawn to the ‘Notice to the General Public on the Removal of the Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos’; dated August 12, 2020 and signed by Oladejo Azeez, Esq, Registrar and Secretary to Council, stating that the current Vice Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, FAS has been removed from office with immediate effect.

    “This is untrue and a figment of his imagination.

    “Therefore, stakeholders of Unilag and the general public are advised to disregard this mischievous disinformation about the sitting Vice Chancellor of Unilag, contained in that notice.

    “Professor Ogundipe still remains Unilag’s Vice Chancello, the statement read.