President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Chairman, Governing Council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Wale Babalakin and the Vice-Chancellor, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, to step aside. Ben Goong, Director of Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, said this in a statement on Friday. Babalakin and Ogundipe were directed to recuse themselves from duty “pending the outcome of the Special Visitation Panel” set up by the president. The seven-member panel, which is chaired by Tukur Sa’ad, former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, has Victor Onuoha, Ikenna Oyindo, Ekanem Braide, Adamu Usman, and Jimoh Bankole as members.
Expected to submit its report within two weeks, the seven-man panel is to review the report of the council sub-committee on review of expenditure of the university since and make appropriate recommendations after given those indicted an opportunity to themselves.
The committee is also expected to look at steps taken by the council leading to the removal of Ogundipe in order to determine whether due process was adhered to in accordance with the stipulated universities act and whether the fair hearing was adhered to.
The committee, which will be inaugurated by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, Wednesday, August 25, 2020, is also taked with the assignment of coming up with a decision to assist the government in ensuring peace in the university.
“The panel was given the following terms of reference:
“To review the report of the council’s subcommittee on review of expenditure of University of Lagos since May 2017 and make appropriate recommendations after affording those indicted an opportunity to defend themselves.