Crisis Rocks Edo NMA As Members Suspend Chairman, Two Others

A leadership crisis has rocked the Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) as members suspended the chairman, deputy chairman and secretary for alleged failure to solidarise with the Association of Resident Doctors in their recent industrial action in the state.

It was gathered that the members also suspended the trio for alleged inconsistencies in the financial report prepared with little or no input from the financial secretary.

The three principal executive officers allegedly suspended at the association’s Annual General Meeting held on August 17, 2023, are Dr Udoka Imoisili, State Chairman, Dr Okwara Benson, Deputy Chairman and Dr Collins Otoikhila, Secretary.

It was learned that at the meeting, 120 members voted to suspend the three executive officers, 3 voted against while 3 abstained from the voting exercises which was through secret balloting.

Members were said to have given the nod to Dr Iluobe Inegbenosun, the Deputy Secretary to act as the Acting Chairman of the association while Dr Emeka Okoh retains his position as the Public Relations Officer (PRO).

In a communique signed by the Ag chairman, Dr Iluobe Inegbenosun and the PRO, members, however, stepped down deliberations on the financial account of the body due to alleged “several inconsistencies” in the financial report.

The communique alleged that total expenditure of N54,847,067,48 million was spent under one year without any tangible project and no auditing.

According to the communique, “The AGM voted to suspend the trio of Chairman, Deputy Chairman, and Secretary, for refusing to carry out their constitutional duties as demanded by the AGM.

“The meeting continued with the adjusted and adopted agenda, and the following resolutions were reached.

“The Deputy Secretary, Dr Iluobe Inegbenosun should assume office as Ag Chairman, NMA Edo State with immediate effect as prescribed by the Edo NMA R&R and the suspended officers should hand over the association properties in their possession to the Ag Chairman within 48 hours of this meeting.

“Members took cognizance of the fact that all 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. Therefore, the AGM resolved to dissolve all the committees”, it said.

The association, however, called on the state government, the Nigerian police, DSS, all the bankers of the Edo NMA, and the general public not to deal with the suspended officers anymore pending when they are cleared by the State Disciplinary Committee.

In his acceptance speech, the Acting Chairman of the association, Dr Iluobe Inegbenosun assured the going forward, adding that Edo NMA will support all her members including the ARD.

Reacting in a statement titled “Impersonation of the Office of Chairman and Secretary of Edo NMA” and signed by, Dr. Imoisili Udoka and Dr. Otoikhila Collins, the embattled NMA Chairman and Secretary respectively, accused some members including officers of the Edo NMA of acting a preconceived script with a view to causing chaos and pandemonium in the association.

“Most galling and disrespectful action by these persons is the impersonation of my office and that of my Secretary by the Deputy Secretary and the PRO, who have been going about falsely parading themselves as Acting Chairman and Acting Secretary with intent to deceive the doctors in Edo state”, she said.