The crisis rocking the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) is far from over as the Bala Audu-led national officers on Friday rejected the purported suspension of its president, describing the move as unconstitutional and invalid.
Faction Rejects Suspension
Briefing journalists in Abuja, Secretary-General Benjamin Egbo kicked against the outcome of the April 15 Emergency Delegates Meeting (EDM) that announced the suspension. He added that the EDM lacks the constitutional authority to suspend a sitting president, stressing that due process was not followed.
Egbo argued that the meeting reportedly convened by Philips Ekpe and Sabo Emmanuel was illegitimate and an attempt to destabilise the association. He insisted that Bala Audu remains the legitimate President of the association.
“The NMA remains united under the leadership of Professor Bala Audu. There is no faction,” Egbo said, pushing back against claims of a divided house within the medical body.
Origin of the Crisis
Egbo traced the origin of the crisis to the disqualification of six candidates from contesting in the association’s forthcoming national elections. He explained that the National Officers Committee (NOC) based its decision on incomplete documentation submitted by the affected aspirants, adding that the development triggered disagreement among some delegates and ultimately led to the controversial EDM.
Secretariat Not Sealed
Egbo dismissed reports that the NMA national secretariat had been sealed off following the suspension announcement, stressing that security operatives only cordoned off the premises in response to credible threats of disruption by suspected thugs. He accused the organisers of the EDM of spreading misinformation and propaganda, warning that the association would not hesitate to seek legal redress to protect its leadership structure and constitutional order.
Emergency Delegates Meeting Details
The EDM, attended by 63 delegates from 23 state branches on Thursday, announced the suspension of the national president and approved the creation of a caretaker committee to manage the association’s affairs until elections are held at the Annual General Meeting scheduled for April 27 to May 3 in Kano. The meeting followed the disqualification of six candidates from the upcoming NMA elections by the NOC, over alleged submission of incomplete documentation.
Tags: NMA
