The Academic Staff Union of Universities has called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to constitute a special visitation panel to look into the purported removal of Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos.

Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU National President, made the call while addressing newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ogunyemi said that it was imperative for the president to set up the special panel to look into the immediate and remote causes of events that led to the removal of the Vice-Chancellor.

Ogundipe was removed by the Wale Babalakin–led governing council over alleged financial infractions among other issues.

According to Ogunyemi, the union is shocked not because the vice-chancellor is a saint but because his removal did not follow due process.

“The national leadership of ASUU received the news of the purported removal of the vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos by the governing council chaired by Dr Wale Babalakin (SAN) with absolute shock and total disappointment.

“We are shocked not because we regard Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as a saint but for the fact that all available evidence indicates that he was not taken through the due process.

“In spite of Dr Babalakin’s spirited efforts to defend the indefensible, it is now clear to all and sundry that there is more to the story coming from the senior member of the bar.

“ASUU fully supports UNILAG senate’s rejection of Wale Babalakin-led governing council’s ill-informed decision to remove the vice-chancellor.