UNILAG Crisis: Acting VC says ‘I’ve Stepped Down with Immediate Effect’

Acting vice chancellor of the University of Lagos,  Prof Omololu Soyombo,  has said he has  stepped down with immediate effect.

Soyombo was appointed acting VC  on August 12 by the Wale Babalakin-led council following the removal of the vice chancellor, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe at the council emergency meeting held in Abuja.

But on Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari directed Ogundipe and Babalakin to step aside and allow the senate of the university to nominate an acting vice-chancellor.

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However, the Federal Government on Friday directed that Wale Babalakin, who is the  pro-chancellor and chairman of the governing council of the university  to recuse himself from official duties relating to the institution. It also directed the removed vice chancellor to recuse himself and set up a seven-member visitation panel to investigate the crisis in the university and submit its report in two weeks.

READ ALSO: See Names of Buhari’s Seven-Man Probe Panel for UNILAG

Also, the Federal Government, through the spokesperson for the ministry of education, Ben Goong,  said the senate of the university should appoint an acting vice chancellor, thus implying the rejection of Soyombo as the acting VC of the institution.

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In a statement on Saturday, Soyombo said he had stepped down “with immediate effect” in obedience to the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the Visitor to the University.

He said he accepted to serve because he wanted to restore peace in UNILAG.

He said, “The news of the setting up of a special visitation panel to the University of Lagos by the Federal Government was received in the evening of Friday, 21st August 2020. The government also directed the university senate to nominate an acting vice-chancellor for the university, for confirmation by the governing council,” he said.

READ ALSO: FG suspends Babalakin as UNILAG pro-chancellor, sets up probe panel

“With this, I am stepping down, with immediate effect, as acting vice-chancellor of the university.

“I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all members of staff and our dear students, the staff unions, alumni and the general public for their wonderful support and cooperation in the past ten days since my appointment as acting vice-chancellor of the university on 12th August 2020.

“As I noted in my address to a cross-section of staff on 19th August 2020, I accepted the offer to serve as a call to service, with the objective of restoring peace and stability in the university.

“It is my prayer that the peace and stability that we so much need and desire at this time be restored very quickly so that the University of Lagos can continue to march on as the university of first choice and the nation’s pride.”