Stakeholders suspend Edo NMA chairman, deputy, secretary

Stakeholders of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Edo State branch have suspended the Chairman, Dr. Udoka Imoisili, Deputy Chairman, Dr. Okwara Benson and Secretary, Dr. Collins Otoikhila at the body’s Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference (AGM/SC) held at the Doctors’ House in Benin.

This was contained in a communique issued yesterday at the end of the business session of the 2023 AGM, signed by the Acting Chairman, Dr. Iluobe Inegbenosun and Acting Public Relations Officer, Dr. Emeka Okoh; with the suspension done in line with Article 16, Number 1 of the constitution of NMA.

The AGM, according to the communique, voted to suspend the three officers for refusing to carry out their constitutional duties, while Imoisili (suspended chairman) was also accused of highhandedness, autocratic and undemocratic attitude, as well as disregard for the AGM, for switching off the generator and leaving the annual meeting/conference without power supply.

Edo NMA’s Deputy Secretary (Inegbenosun) was directed by the AGM to assume office as the acting chairman, with immediate effect, while the three suspended officers were asked to hand over the association’s property in their possession to the acting chairman, within 48 hours.

The AGM also expressed displeasure about the failure of the suspended chairman to ‘solidarise’ with members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) in Edo State, during the recent nationwide strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

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“Members took cognisance of the fact that the committees of the association were constituted at a fraudulent and illegal State Executive Council (SEC) meeting, where a quorum was not formed, and the attendance list was doctored. The AGM resolved to dissolve the committees.

“The financial report was prepared by the suspended chairman, with little or no input from the financial secretary.

“There were several inconsistencies in the financial report, with N54,847,067.48 spent under one year, without any tangible project and no auditing. The AGM resolved to step down the financial report.”

The suspended Chairman (Imoisili), in her reaction at a news conference in Benin, said the illegalities by some disgruntled elements in Edo NMA would not be tolerated, insisting that she remained the helmsman.

Imoisili said: “During the business session of the AGM of Edo NMA, some members of the association, with reckless abandon, violently disrupted our meeting. A member, Dr. Samuel Omolua, verbally assaulted me, and was advancing towards me, to attack me, but was held back.

“When I sensed that the venue of the meeting was no longer safe, I called for a recess, as enshrined in Edo NMA’s rules and regulations. Unfortunately, some misguided elements, led by past Edo NMA chairmen, Dr. Harrison Omokhua and Dr. Osaigbovo Emmanuel, decided to illegally gather with some conspirators and foster on themselves a purported and unconstitutional office of a so-called acting chairman and an acting secretary, who have been shamelessly impersonating the offices of the chairman and the secretary.

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“The illegal elements think that because I am a woman, I will be a weakling that can be overwhelmed, but I am a courageous noble leader. I will assert my authority as the legal chairman of NMA, Edo State branch. The AGM is still in recess.”

The suspended chairman urged members of Edo NMA to remain calm and peaceful.