Crisis: Edo NMA suspends chairman, two others

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has suspended the Edo State branch Chairman, Dr Udoka Imoisili; Deputy Chairman, Dr Okwara Benson and Secretary, Dr. Collins Otoikhila.

The suspension was contained in a communique made available to journalists on Sunday and signed by acting chairman, Dr Iluobe Inegbenosun, and Dr Emeka Okoh.

The body said the decision was taken at the Business session of the 2023 Edo NMA Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference held at the Doctors House in Benin,  Edo State on Thursday, August 17, 2023.

The communique read in part, “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.

“A secret ballot was held, and 120 members voted to suspend the chairman, Imoisili, deputy chairman, Dr Benson Okwara, and secretary, Dr Collins Otoikhila while three voted against and three abstained.

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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 acting Chairman, NMA Edo State with immediate effect as prescribed by the Edo NMA Rules and Regulation and the suspended officers should hand over the association properties in their possession to the acting 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 meeting where a quorum was not formed and the attendance list was doctored. Therefore, the AGM resolved to dissolve all 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 a total expenditure of N54,847,067.48 spent under one year without any tangible project and no auditing. The AGM, therefore, resolved to step down the financial report.

“The AGM expressed its displeasure with the failure of the suspended chairman for failing to solidarize with resident doctors in Edo State during the National Association of Resident Doctor’s industrial action. The acting chairman assured the AGM that going forward, Edo NMA will support all her members including the Association of Resident Doctors.”

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Reacting to their suspension in a statement titled, “Impersonation of the Office of Chairman and Secretary of Edo NMA”, Imoisili and Otoikhila, accused some members including officers of the association of acting a preconceived script to cause 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.”

“The two of them have also released letters to members with letterhead papers stolen from the office of the secretary to deceive members of the association and the public.

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“We want members of the association to disregard any information coming from these impersonators and go about their duties with professionalism.

“We want to state that the 2023 AGM is still in recess due to security reasons,” Imoisili added.