The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the University of Lagos, Dr Wale Babalakin has insisted that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe remain sacked.
He dispelled the insinuation that there was crisis by members of ASUU, Unilag chapter, saying that the tiny minority of those benefitting from the Vice Chancellor’s corrupt tendencies were those making noise.
Speaking on Friday at the Murtala Muhammed Airport terminal two (MMA2), Lagos, on arrival from Abuja, Babalakin said: “If you go to the campus now and do a secret ballot of how popular Ogundipe administration is, you would see that he is unpopular.
“Only a tiny vocal minority that is benefiting from the corrupt system is making noise. What was going on was misappropriation and looting of the scarece resources of the school.”
Dr Babalakin lamented that the embattled Vice Chancellor recklessly spent the institution’s funds beyond his statutory limit on several occasions.
He called on anti-graft agencies of government to investigate Professor Ogundipe without delay.
He explained that the financial guidelines for the University of Lagos was clear on how a Vice Chancellor should not spend money beyond N2.5 million.
He stressed that Ogundipe spent more than N2.5 million to renovate his official quarters without approval by the Governing Council as required by the guidelines, a situation, he posited, was unacceptable.
Babalakin who alleged that the VC approved renovation of quarters for a top official without the Council’s approval added: “That is unacceptable. He must be investigated. We need to do that for us to start building the university. I can tell you that when we probed the account of the university, it was in tatters,” he said.
Reacting to claims that VC’s removal didn’t follow due process, Babalakin said, he’s a lawyer and would not do anything against what the law says.
“As a product of law, I don’t engage in things that will trample the law. Due process was followed. When the Council set up a committee to look into the finances of the university since we came on board, the report indicted a number of people including Ogundipe.
“He wrote a reply and even spoke for over one hour defending himself. The law of the University is clear on how some officers can be removed from office. During Wednesday’s meeting, the issue was put to vote and we can do open ballot or secret ballot as we used to do on contentious issues.
“The people not only voted, but they added their comments. I also not only read out the votes, but the comments put in by everyone. I can tell you that nobody faulted what was read out as not what they wrote.”
On the Federal Ministry of Education’s reaction, the Pro-Chancellor denied knowledge of any reaction by the Ministry.
