Unilag Senate withdraws suit challenging removal of Prof Ogundipe as VC

The Senate of the University of Lagos has filed an application to withdraw a suit it earlier filed at the National Industrial Court challenging the sack of the varsity’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.

In the suit, marked NICN/LA/283/2020, the Senate had kicked against Ogundipe’s sack by the university’s Governing Council and his replacement with Prof. Theophilus Soyombo, as acting VC.

The defendants in the suit were the varsity’s Governing Council, the (now suspended) Pro- Chancellor, Dr Wale Babalakin (SAN), the Registrar, Mr Oladejo Azeez, Soyomo and Ogundipe.

The Senate had sought a court declaration that Ogundipe’s purported removal by the Governing Council via an August 12, 2020 letter, was not procedural and was null and void.

The Senate had also prayed the court to restrain Soyombo from parading himself as UNILAG acting VC.

However, the Senate, through its counsel, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), filed an application on Monday to discontinue the suit.

While addressing newsmen, Osipitan said that the decision to discontinue with the suit was as a result of recent developments.

Meanwhile, the President, Muhammadu Buhari, had on Friday suspended both Babalakin and Ogundipe and reversed Soyombo’s appointment as acting VC.

While the institution’s Senate, on Monday, also elected Prof. Folasade Ogunsola as acting VC.