The 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) ended on a rancorous note as the AGM suspended the chairman of the association, Dr Udoka Imoisili, deputy chairman, Dr. Okwara Benson, and the secretary, Dr. Collins Otoikhila.
The suspension of the three principal officers was contained in a communique issued at the Business session of the 2023 Edo NMA Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference (AGM/SC) held at the Doctors House in Benin City, Edo State, on Thursday, August 17, where it was announced that the deputy secretary, Dr Iluobe Inegbenosun, should act as chairman.
But the embattled chairman, Dr Imoisili, said she remained the chairman of the Edo NMA, describing those who purportedly suspended her as acting a preconceived script with a view to causing chaos and pandemonium in the association.
In a communique signed by Dr Iluobe Inegbenosun, Ag Chairman, Edo NMA and Dr Emeka Okoh, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), the association said that the “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.
The communique reads in parts:
“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; 3 voted against and 3 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. ”
Among other allegations, some members of the Edo NMA expressed displeasure at what they termed “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 aggrieved members said.
Reacting to the development, the suspended chairman, Dr Imoisili noted that “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.”
Imoisili, while addressing a press conference on Sunday, said that during the business session of the AGM on Thursday, “some members of the Association with reckless abandon violently disrupted our meeting and assaulted the media person who was commissioned to live stream the meeting, who had to go for medical care for injuries sustained.
“Another member, Dr. Samuel Omolua was verbally assaulting me and was advancing towards me to attack me but was held back. When I sensed that the venue of this meeting was no longer safe, I called for a recess as enshrined in Edo NMA rules and regulations. Unfortunately, some misguided elements led by past Edo NMA chairman (Dr. Harrison Omokhua) and a past chairman (Dr. Osaigbovo Emmanuel) decided to illegally gather with some few conspirators and foster on themselves a purported and unconstitutional office of a so-called acting chairman in the person of Dr. lluobe inegbenosun and an acting secretary in the person of Dr. Emeka Okoh, who have been shamelessly impersonating the offices of the chairman and the secretary.”
She alleged that her office was burgled and vital documents “including all cheque books of the association, letterhead papers, laptop, receipts, cash, documents which are evidence of their financial misdeeds, and other items yet to be identified”, carted away.
“These illegal elements think that I am a woman, a weakling and can be overwhelmed, but I am a courageous noble leader, I will assert my authority as the legal chairman of Edo State. The AGM is still in recess and no illegality perpetuated by some disgruntled elements will not be tolerated. The general public and all affiliates of Edo NMA are advised not to have any dealings with them. The image of doctors before the general public must be redeemed, we condemn the acts of these individuals, doctors are still the noblest of all”, Imoisili reaffirmed.
She appealed to members to remain calm and peaceful, with the assurance that all illegalities would be addressed in due course.
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