No fewer than 200 delegates of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) will meet on Wednesday in Abuja for an emergency delegates meeting to address a growing leadership crisis within the association.
In a statement issued on Monday in Lokoja, Dr Oreyemi Ifedayo, Chairman of State Chairmen, said the meeting was triggered by the controversial disqualification of candidates for the forthcoming elections.
He alleged that candidates for the Annual Delegates Meeting and elections were disqualified by the NMA President, Prof. Bala Audu, without due process, sparking widespread concern among stakeholders nationwide.
According to him, the disqualification has drawn criticism from state chairmen, caucuses and the Committee of Past Presidents over the past two weeks, amid calls for adherence to constitutional provisions.
Ifedayo said that despite appeals from stakeholders to reverse the decision ahead of the Annual Delegates Meeting, the NMA President declined, further deepening tensions within the association’s leadership structure.
He stated that the emergency delegates meeting was convened to address the crisis before it escalates, noting that members had strongly rejected what they described as an illegal disqualification process.
He emphasised that, under the NMA constitution, the Committee of Past Presidents serves as the final authority on constitutional interpretation and had recommended reversing the disqualifications to ensure fairness.
Ifedayo described it as regrettable that the committee’s resolution had been ignored, warning that continued disregard for due process could undermine unity and credibility within the professional body.
Organisers said more than 200 delegates had confirmed attendance, adding that the meeting would review the issues and chart a course toward restoring peace, unity and institutional integrity.
