NMA delegates suspend president, appoint caretaker committee

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has plunged into a leadership crisis after its National President, Prof. Bala Audu, was suspended by members over alleged constitutional violations and high-handed conduct.

The dramatic decision was reached on Wednesday at an Emergency Delegates Meeting, EDM, held in Abuja, attended by 63 delegates, including chairmen and secretaries from 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

Audu, who also heads the association’s National Officers Committee, NOC, was accused of unilaterally disqualifying six candidates from contesting in the forthcoming national elections slated for the NMA Annual General Meeting, AGM, in Kano from April 27 to May 3.

Although the NOC had justified the disqualification on grounds of incomplete documentation, delegates rejected the move, describing it as unconstitutional and alien to the association’s established norms.

In a sweeping resolution, the EDM unanimously reversed the disqualification, clearing the affected candidates to participate in the elections.

The meeting also constituted a caretaker committee led by former Secretary-General Dr Ekpe Phillips to oversee the affairs of the association pending the elections and to ensure disciplinary procedures are initiated against Audu and the NOC if found culpable.

Delegates said all internal mechanisms to resolve the dispute had failed, prompting the gathering which was convened after over 100 members, representing the constitutional threshold, endorsed the move.

“The excuse of incomplete documentation is strange to our processes,” a delegate said.

“These candidates were duly nominated and screened. What happened was a clear violation of the NMA constitution.”

Chairman of NMA-FCT, Dr Emeka Ayogu, backed the suspension, accusing the Audu-led leadership of “impunity and arrogance” and warning that the association’s unity was at stake.

“We want an NMA that protects members’ welfare and upholds due process. We had no choice but to act decisively,” Ayogu stated, adding that members were prepared for any fallout, including legal action.

Also speaking, former Deputy Secretary-General Dr Umezurike Ikechukwu condemned the leadership’s actions, describing them as disruptive and contrary to the association’s tradition of peaceful transitions.

“This is not how the NMA has operated over the years. There has always been stability and order. What we are seeing now is deeply troubling and must be addressed to prevent further damage,” he said.

With tensions high and the AGM just days away, the unfolding crisis poses a serious test for the unity and stability of Nigeria’s foremost medical body.

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