The crisis within the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) continues to deepen as the Bala Audu-led national officers have rejected the purported suspension of its president, describing the move as unconstitutional and invalid. In a press briefing held in Abuja, the Secretary-General, Benjamin Egbo, strongly opposed the outcome of the April 15 Emergency Delegates Meeting (EDM) that announced the suspension, asserting that the EDM lacks the constitutional authority to suspend a sitting president. He emphasized that due process was not followed and that the meeting was illegitimate.
Audu Remains Legitimate President
Egbo argued that the meeting, reportedly convened by Philips Ekpe and Sabo Emmanuel, was an attempt to destabilize the association. He insisted that Professor Bala Audu remains the legitimate President of the NMA. “The NMA remains united under the leadership of Professor Bala Audu. There is no faction,” Egbo stated, pushing back against claims of a divided house within the medical body.
Origin of the Crisis
Egbo traced the origin of the crisis to the disqualification of six candidates from contesting in the association’s forthcoming national elections. According to him, the National Officers Committee (NOC) based its decision on incomplete documentation submitted by the affected aspirants. This development triggered disagreement among some delegates and ultimately led to the controversial EDM.
Egbo dismissed reports that the NMA national secretariat had been sealed off following the suspension announcement. He clarified that security operatives only cordoned off the premises in response to credible threats of disruption by suspected thugs. He accused the organizers of the EDM of spreading misinformation and propaganda, warning that the association would not hesitate to seek legal redress to protect its leadership structure and constitutional order.
EDM Decisions
The EDM, which was attended by 63 delegates from 23 state branches, announced the suspension of the national president and approved the creation of a caretaker committee to manage the association’s affairs until elections are held at the Annual General Meeting scheduled for April 27 to May 3 in Kano. The meeting followed the disqualification of six candidates from the upcoming NMA elections by the NOC over alleged submission of incomplete documentation.
The Audu-led faction maintains that the EDM was unconstitutional and that the suspension is invalid. They have called on all members to remain calm and continue to support the legitimate leadership of Professor Bala Audu as the association works towards resolving the impasse through appropriate legal and constitutional channels.
