Edo NMA Suspends  Chairman, Deputy, Secretary from Association

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Edo State Branch said it has suspended the chapter Chairman, Dr. Udoka Imoisili; Deputy Chairman, Dr.Okwara Benson; and Secretary, Dr. Collins Otoikhila from the association.

The suspension was contained in a communique issued at the business session of the Edo NMA Annual General Meeting (AGM), held  in Benin City..

The communiqué, which was issued yesterday, noted that the suspension took effect from 17th August, 2023.

The communique signed by the acting Chairman, Dr Iluobe Inegbenosun, and the Public Relations Officer, Dr Emeka Okoh PR0, 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, Dr Udoka Imoisili, Deputy Chairman, Dr Benson Okwara, and Secretary, Dr Collins Otoikhila; three voted against and three abstained.

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.”

” 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 fifty-four million, eight hundred and forty seven thousand and sixty-seven naira, forty-eight kobo (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, Dr Udoka Imoisili, for failing to solidarize with ARD members in Edo State during the NARD industrial action. The Ag Chairman assured the AGM that going forward, Edo NMA will support all her members including the ARD.”

Some members of the NMA who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity expressed displeasure at the high handedness, autocratic and undemocratic attitude of the suspended Chairman, Dr Udoka Imoisili as well as her disregard for the AGM.

“The Chairman disregarded the breach in the Edo NMA Rules and Regulation (R&R).

“We hereby call 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,” the source said.

Reacting in  a statement titled: “Impersonation of the Office of Chairman and Secretary of Edo NMA”  Udoka and Collins 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,” they said in the statement.