The Senate of the University of Lagos has pulled their weight behind Mr Ogundipe, rejecting the appointment of Mr Soyombo as acting vice-chancellor.
The top academicism decision-making body of the institution on Thursday passed a vote of no confidence in the Babalakin-led governing council.
“Due process was not followed in the purported appointment of the acting vice-chancellor as the Senate was neither informed nor invited to forward its recommendation to council,” Punch reported.
“Its functions and its powers have been completely appropriated by the Council in breach of the law.
“Senate resolved to reaffirm its confidence in Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos,” the statement said.
The statement was signed by the Senate chairman, Chioma Agomo, and five other members: Dele Olowokudejo, Oluwole Atoyebi, Folasade Akinsola, Lucian Chukwu and Ayodele Atsenuwa.
Also, staff unions of the university after a solidarity march with the embattled vice-chancellor on Thursday asked the council to rescind its decision on Mr Ogundipe.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, National Association of Academic Technologists, and Non-Academic Staff Union — called on the ministry of education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to intervene in the crisis.
“Our unions are using this medium to call on the Minister of Education and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission to stop this charade and lawlessness being perpetrated by the Dr Wale Babalakin-led University of Lagos Council given its potentials for causing disharmony and industrial instability in the University of Lagos,” they said in a joint statement.
Mr Ogundipe, who participated in the procession from the Senate building to the school’s main gate, said he remained the vice-chancellor and called for peace.
“I remain dedicated to UNILAG. We are all builders and have all invested so much into this great university. I have been here for 30 years in different capacities.
“Let’s wait for the directives from the government. I remain a functional member of the union; we are enjoying peace here, let’s remain peaceful,” he said.
Meanwhile, a coalition under the aegis of the Coalition of Civil Societies for Probity and Good Governance has called on the council to make public the findings of the probe it cited for the sacking of Mr Ogundipe.
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