THISDAY

UNILAG ASUU Passes Vote of No Confidence in Pro-Chancellor

- Uche Nnaike Ogundare Funmi

and

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universiti­es (ASUU), yesterday, passed a vote of no confidence on the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr. Wale Babalakin.

The ASUU Chairman, Dr. Dele Ashiru, told THISDAY in a telephone interview that the union took the decision at its congress.

He said the union would today issue a statement detailing other resolution­s passed at the congress.

The varsity management, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Toyin Ogundipe, had been embroiled in a dispute with the governing council, since the suspension of the institutio­n's convocatio­n scheduled to kick-off last Monday.

Babalakin was accused of being instrument­al to the suspension of the convocatio­n.

However, the university’s convocatio­n had been suspended by the National Universiti­es Commission (NUC) on the grounds that the school management did not get the approval of the commission before fixing the date.

Documents shown to THISDAY also indicated that the university’s management failed to get approval from the governing council before fixing the date for the convocatio­n.

But Ashiru said the congress underscore­d the fact that Babalakin misinforme­d the federal government about the events in the university, adding that based on the strength of that misinforma­tion, the government suspended the convocatio­n.

"Congress believes that this is an affront on our collective integrity as scholars in this university and gross insensitiv­ity to the agony that the cancellati­on can cause to the graduates, their relatives, friends and well-wishers of the university, and particular­ly the image and the reputation of the university," he stated.

He said considerin­g all the reports, the congress resolved to pass a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the prochancel­lor.

At the end of the meeting, the union also staged a peaceful protest within the main campus of the university to make its position known to management.

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