A Consultant family physician and past Chairman of the Medical Guild, Lagos, Dr Oluwajimi Sodipo, has faulted the alleged decision of the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to unfairly exclude six qualified aspirants from contesting for electoral positions in its forthcoming national election, describing it as a deadly miscalculation.

Sodipo, who was an aspirant for the post of National Publicity Secretary of the association, alleged that, despite meeting the constitutional requirements of a signed form with a valid proposer and seconder, along with evidence of previously being a National Executive Council member, six aspirants were disqualified, including himself.

He therefore called on all organs of the association, including state chairmen, past presidents, delegates, and members, to immediately intervene to protect the association’s integrity and governance by reversing the disqualification and upholding the rule of law.

He stressed that failure to do so will be challenged to the highest level of the judicial system.

In a statement made available to The Guardian, Sodipo claimed that the overall consensus among all organs of the association, including past presidents, past Secretaries General, and members of the National Executive Council, was that the disqualification is illegal.

Also, the NMA is facing fresh controversy ahead of its presidential election as its Cross River branch has alleged interference in the process and rejected the disqualification of an aspirant, Prof. Ofem Enang.

The development was disclosed by the Chairman of the NMA Cross River branch, Dr Ezoke Epoke, during an interaction with journalists in Calabar.

Epoke said the controversy stems from Enang’s disqualification, a move he noted has triggered widespread concern among members and stakeholders across the country.

According to him, Enang, who previously served as Second Vice President and state chairman of the association, was allegedly barred from contesting the presidency under unclear circumstances.

He disclosed that the association’s election is scheduled to be held in Kano during its Annual Delegates Meeting (ADM) slated for April 26 to May 3.

While describing the disqualification as unconstitutional, biased, illogical, and a threat to democracy, Epoke warned that it could spark unrest and deepen divisions within the association.