Hours after the special presidential visitation panel submitted its report to the Minister of Education on the crisis rocking the management of the University of Lagos, the Pro-Chancellor of the University, Wale Babalakin, has resigned over an allegation of disagreement with the Federal Government on the Visitation Panel sent to the university.
Babalakin, who was sighted shortly at the Ministry of Education, barely minutes after the Education Minister received the report, said in his resignation letter, there were too many vested interests in the University of Lagos matter, who were not approaching the issues objectively.
He said it has become imminent for him to stand by his principles since the Federal Government believed the actions he took may not be right.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said the visitation panel was raised to exonerate the Vice-Chancellor and implicate the Pro-Chancellor, who happened to be himself.
He said although he appeared in protest before the panel, he made it clear that the panel could not determine the issues before it.
While noting that he will also not be available again to serve as the chairman of the Federal Government Negotiation Team on the Agreement reached with university unions in 2009, which he has chaired since January 6, 2017, he insisted that he had served the university system in Nigeria with his heart and intellect.
Babalakin argued that as Pro-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri and the University of Lagos, he did not receive sitting allowances and other perks of office.
He said he did not allow the two institutions to provide him with food or drinks.
Babalakin’s letter of resignation to the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, was dated September 15, 2020, but it was made public barely a few hours after the submission of the report of the Visitation Panel on Thursday, September 17, 2020.
In a swift reaction, ASUU President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, said that Babalakin has the right to withdraw his services and suspects he feels the panel report will not favour his actions.