The last is yet to be heard about the leadership crisis in the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), as its Enugu State chapter said on Tuesday that it has commenced contempt of court proceedings against its National President and other national officers for allegedly flouting court orders over the crisis.
The development followed the purported suspension of the Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman and Foundation President of the Nigerian Academy of Medicine, Emeritus Prof. Sam Ohaegbulam, and other members of the immediate past State Officers’ Council (SOC) of the NMA in Enugu State by the National Executive Council (NEC), which met in Katsina State at the weekend.
They were purportedly suspended for taking the union to court over the leadership dispute in the Enugu State chapter.
In a statement addressed to the National President and signed by the Enugu State Chairman, Dr. Sunny Okafor, and General Secretary, Dr. Chima Edeoja, Enugu NMA decried what it termed “reckless and unlawful executive pronouncement in the face of an ongoing litigation and valid order of court,” stressing that it was a dent on the integrity and reputation of the distinguished medical leaders and elders, and on the collective resolve of the congress in Enugu State.
The statement reminded the President about the provisions of Article 25, Section 8 of the Association’s constitution, adding that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria empowered citizens, groups, or individual members of any organisation to seek legal redress on any matter without being encumbered or impeded in any manner whatsoever.
“Courts of our land have in the past expressly ruled on this, against the NMA. Dr. Kenenna Obiatuegwu vs. NMA and Dr. Fredrick Awkadigwe vs. NMA hold good examples. Additionally, the quoted Section 25:8 refers to member, group, or state branch, but for mischief and convenience, you excluded ‘state branch’ in your citation, knowing full well that the pending legal matter is between NMA Enugu State vs. You & 5 Ors.,” the statement added.
The statement added that the National President and other members would no longer be allowed to perpetuate illegalities and injustices against her law-abiding state branches and members, adding that it was embarrassing for a foremost professional body like the NMA “that her President will willfully abandon the myriad of welfare issues affecting Nigerian doctors and preoccupy himself with mundane agenda and shenanigans of attempting to illegally foist unwanted and unqualified individuals on law-abiding medical and dental practitioners in Enugu State, despite an express order of court.”
“Nothing else depicts ineptitude in leadership more than this. To worsen the matter was the bringing of our most revered BoT Chairman and leader of the apex medical body in the country (the Nigerian Academy of Medicine), Emeritus Prof. Sam Ohaegbulam, as well as the Congress of NMA Enugu State to public opprobrium,” they said.
“Sir, we have repeatedly reminded you that leadership emergence at all levels of NMA is strictly by members’ votes and willful mandate via elections as constitutionally provided for, and not by mere NMA presidential pronouncement or posturing, insertion of forged clause(s) in communiqués, or issuance of recognition letter. No amount of presidential or individual pronouncements, insertion of forged clause(s), brutality, and intimidation will make an individual not elected by his people (the Congress) secure any legitimacy to lead them.
“There is no sacred cow before the law. The NMA President himself is a product of the provisions of the NMA constitution and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and should be bound by it. The NMA President should, without further delay, obey the order of court and stop his recognition of impostors and renegades. This untoward conduct is, to say the least, very ‘unpresidential’ and comes at a huge cost to the public image and reputation of the Association and the medical profession at large.
“The Nigerian Medical Association, Enugu State, is a big brand, and her esteemed congress is replete with numerous internationally acclaimed medical elders, icons, and leaders. We will not sit back and watch you and some self-serving members of the NOC unlawfully abuse, arm-twist, disrespect, and denigrate her. We have since moved on and are doing very well as an Association. But we have also resolved that the impunity and lawlessness must end. We have commenced contempt of court proceedings against you and other lawless members of the NOC.”
