A crisis erupted within the Edo state branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) during its Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference (AGM/SC) which took place at the Doctors’ House in Benin.

In a communiqué signed by the acting chairman, Iluobe Inegbenosun, and the acting public relations officer, Emeka Okoh, on Saturday, August 19, at the conclusion of the 2023 AGM, stakeholders announced the suspension of chairman, Udoka Imoisili, deputy chairman Okwara Benson and secretary, Collins Otoikhila.

The suspension carried out in accordance with Article 16, Number 1 of the NMA constitution, was attributed to the trio’s refusal to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities.

Imoisili, the suspended chairman, faced additional accusations of highhandedness, autocratic behaviour, disregard for AGM proceedings (including switching off the generator during the conference), and leaving the meeting abruptly without a power supply.

According to the communiqué, Iluobe Inegbenosun, Edo NMA’s deputy secretary, was directed to assume the role of acting chairman immediately. The suspended officers were instructed to hand over association property within 48 hours.

The AGM also expressed disappointment over the suspended chairman’s failure to show solidarity with the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) in Edo State during the recent nationwide strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

The communique read In part: “A secret ballot was held. 120 members voted to suspend the chairman, the deputy chairman, and the secretary. Three medical doctors voted against the decision, and three members abstained.

“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. 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 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 Nation)