A retired Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Boniface Oye-Adeniran, has demanded a thorough investigation of the suspended Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
According to him, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should commence investigation into the award of contracts “in direct violation of extant regulations” of UNILAG and the country
He alleged that some Tertiary Education Trust Fund projects were executed and paid for without due process and contrary to the university’s financial regulations of 2016.
“Prof. Toyin Ogundipe exceeded his expenditure limits and approval, and these projects were done and paid for without the University’s Tenders Board, Finance and General Purpose Committee, and Governing Council approval. In addition, these contract awards violated the Public Procurement Act of 2007 and the University of Lagos Financial Regulations of 2016”, Oye-Adeniran, a member of UNILAG’s Appointments and Promotions Board between 2014 and 2018, stated.
The petitioner, who was a member of the UNILAG Governing Council from 2017 to 2019 and a former President, Nigerian Medical Association, made the submissions in a petition to the EFCC dated August 21, 2020, which was obtained by The PUNCH in Abuja on Tuesday.
The petition was entitled: ‘Acts of financial crime by Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe (former Vice-Chancellor, UNILAG)…Mr. Lekan Lawal (Bursar of UNILAG), and Dr James Akanmu (Director of Procurement UNILAG)’
Oye-Adeniran wrote, “Council at its meeting of September 5, 2018, constituted a committee to investigate the university’s expenditure under Prof. Ogundipe as vice-chancellor. Among others, the committee found against Prof. Ogundipe’s management that without the Tenders Board, Finance and General Purpose Committee and Governing Council’s knowledge, approval, and far in excess of his approval limit of N2,500,000.00, Prof. Ogundipe, in his capacity as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, in direct violation of extant regulations of the university and the country, awarded contracts. In other cases, awards made by Prof. Ogundipe or under his leadership did not satisfy the requirements of the Public Procurement Act.
“I am by this petition, respectfully requesting for an urgent investigation into the award of these various contracts and spending by and under Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe’s management when he was vice-chancellor of the university. I have attached comprehensive documents in support of these allegations and undertake to be available for this investigation.”
Ogunsola confirmed as acting VC
The Governing Council of the university, led by the acting Chairman, Dr John Momoh, has confirmed Prof. Folasade Ogunsola as the acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution.
The council approved her nomination at a virtual meeting held on Tuesday.
Ogunsola, who was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development Services, secured 135 votes in her election conducted by the Senate of the institution on Monday, while her opponent, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Management Services, Prof. Ben Oghojafor, got 31 votes.
The inauguration of the visitation panel for the institution will hold in Abuja on Wednesday.
The news of Ogunsola as the acting vice-chancellor was greeted with jubilation on the UNILAG campus.
The Federal Government had last week asked the UNILAG Senate to reconvene and nominate an acting VC following the crisis between the institution’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Dr Wale Babalakin, and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
The government also asked Babalakin and Ogundipe to rescue themselves from official duties, pending the outcome of the Special Visitation Panel set up by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
With her emergence, Ogunsola has broken the 58-year-old record by becoming the first female to be appointed as an acting VC of the institution since it was founded in 1962.
Controversy not good for varsity, says judge
Justice J. I. Essien of the National Industrial Court has urged authorities of the University of Lagos to resolve the raging controversy in the institution amicably, stressing that the controversy is not good for the image of the school.
Justice Essien, who said he is a professor of Law and left teaching to become a judge, said the actors in the controversy should allow peace to reign.
The judge made the remarks following the formal withdrawal of two suits filed in relation to the crisis.
One of the suits was filed by the suspended Vice-Chancellor of the university, Ogundipe, to challenge his removal by the Governing Council under the chairmanship of the now suspended Pro-Chancellor, Babalakin.
The other was filed by the Senate of the institution to challenge Ogundipe’s removal and his replacement with Prof. Theophilus Soyombo by the governing council.
While Messrs Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) applied for the withdrawal of Ogundipe’s suit; Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN) applied for the withdrawal of the suit filed by the Senate.
There was no objection to the withdrawal of both suits by Mr Tola Oshobi (SAN), who represented Babalakin in both cases.
Following the applications for withdrawal, Justice Essien struck out the suits.
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