The crisis rocking the University of Lagos (UNILAG) took a new twist on Wednesday as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) UNILAG branch passed a vote of no confidence on the chairman of Governing Council, Dr. Wale Babalakin.
The vote of no confidence in Dr. Babalakin was taken at a congress of ASUU UNILAG.
Recalled that Babalakin caused the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu through a letter to suspend the 51st convocation ceremony of UNILAG just a few days to the event.
Babalakin in his letter to Adamu claimed the university management did not carry the governing council along in the preparation of the convocation ceremony in which 13,689 graduates will have received first degrees, masters, and PhD.
Daily Sun gathered that aside from the vote of no confidence, the congress also declared Dr. Babalakin person non grata on campus. The implication is that he will not be allowed into the campus.
The vote of no confidence was moved after the congress was briefed of how Babalakin letter to Adamu leads to the suspension of the 51st convocation ceremony.
Angry congress members unanimously passed the vote of no confidence on the governing council chairman.
ASUU UNILAG congress staged a peaceful protest within the campus and the main gate.
The protest was lead by ASUU UNILAG chairman, Dr. Dele Ashiru. Members carried placards with different inscriptions condemning the action of Babalakin.
Dr. Ashiru confirmed congress decisions on Babalakin, stating ”I presided over the congress and it was a unanimous decision. Congress observed that he is Meddling into affairs in the running of UNILAG”.
Congress noted that Babalakin misinformed the minister of education thus Adamu’s directive to the National Universities Commission (NUC) to instruct the VC to suspend the convocation ceremony.
According to him, there was no dissenting vote when congress took the decision to declare a vote of no confidence in Babalakin.
Ashiru called on the Federal Government to relieve Babalakin of his job as council chairman adding, ”by our vote, Babalakin is no longer our governing council chairman.