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The sacked Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos(UNILAG), Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has engaged the services of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, to challenge his removal from office.
In a letter dated August 12, 2020 and titled: ‘Instruction to institute legal action against the Council and Pro-Chancellor and others of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos,’ which was borne on his official letterhead, and addressed to Ozekhome, Ogundipe stated that the act of the governing council of the university “purportedly removing” him from office was “illegal and unconstitutional,” adding that it was “carried out without due process and contrary to the University Act and other extant laws governing discipline, suspension and removal of the Vice Chancellor of the university.”
The letter read in part: “I hereby formally brief you to institute legal proceedings against the Council, Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos and others based on their illegal and unconstitutional act of purportedly removing me from office as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos.
“I honestly believe that this action was carried out without due process and contrary to the University Act and other extant laws governing discipline, suspension and removal of the Vice-Chancellor of the University.
“I humbly urge you to use your legal experience to redress this grave injustice meted out to me.”
Ogundipe was sacked as UNILAG’s vice chancellor at a meeting of the institution’s Governing Council held at the National Universities Commission in Abuja on Wednesday.
While six members of the council were said to have voted for the removal of Ogundipe, four voted against it while one of them voted that he should rather be placed on suspension.
The meeting was chaired by the UNILAG Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of its Governing Council, Dr Wale Babalakin (SAN).