Caution NOC members, NMA Enugu urges president

The Enugu State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on Thursday asked its national President to expediently rein in some members of the National Officers’ Committee (NOC) to refrain from unlawful and embarrassing actions in Enugu and other state branches.

It regretted that the actions of some members of the national committee are greatly costing the association her corporate image and reputation.

Rising from its monthly meeting in Enugu, they deplored a purportedly signed letter by the Secretary General of the association and being circulated on various social media platforms, which tended to erode the integrity of the state branch.

The said letter, titled, “Fake and illegitimate NMA brand in Enugu state,” according to the state branch, is intended to coerce, cajole, intimidate, and cause unnecessary confusion among members and a needless crisis in the State.

Chairman and Secretary of the Enugu State chapter, Dr. Sunday Okafor and Dr. Chima Edoga, respectively, in a letter to the president, stated there is only one NMA in the state that was constitutionally elected in August this year.

“For the sake of clarity and record straightening, it is important that we are reminded that the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Enugu State, just like any other State branch or affiliate body in the country, is a creation of the NMA constitution with an inalienable right of autonomy and self-governance as provided in Article 6 sub-sections 1 and 2 of our constitution as amended.

“Mr. President, judging by the record of events in our dear State branch, Enugu, vis-a-vis the provisions of the constitution of the NMA and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the only legitimate, authentic, and lawful leadership of the NMA Enugu State is the Congress-elected State Officers’ Council, ably and pragmatically led by Rtn Dr. Sunday Okafor, a Public Health Physician at UNTH, as officially expressed by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of our dear Association in their letter dated 23rd of September, 2024.

“The foregoing is sharply opposed and contrary to the renegade group led by a NEC-suspended member, Dr. Chibuzo Ndiokwelu, that is being propped up by some self-serving members of the NOC without recourse to our constitution and relevant authorities/organs of the Association.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the said Dr. Chibuzo Ndiokwelu is outrightly not qualified to vie for any post in the NMA as a suspended member. Even if he were not suspended, he did not meet the constitutional requirements of the Rules and Regulations of NMA Enugu State to hold the Chairmanship position. Based on the foregoing, it amounts to abuse of executive privileges if the purported letter bearing the signature of the NMA Secretary General truly originated from him,” they said.

They added that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NMA had declined ratification of the “illegitimate group and imposters,” adding that a court of competent jurisdiction had issued an order barring any individual or group from attempting to unlawfully foist the group on the Congress of the association.

“May we also remind ourselves that leadership emergence at all levels of the NMA is strictly by election as constitutionally provided for and not by mere issuance of a recognition letter from an individual or group of individuals under any guise. There is no sacred cow before the law. Mr. President himself is a product of the provisions of the NMA constitution and should be bound by it as expressly provided for in our constitution.

“For the Secretary General of the NMA to make reference in the said letter that the Chairman of NMA Enugu State, Rtn Dr. Sunday Okafor, is a suspended member, when he clearly knows that this wrongful and contrived assertion runs contrary to the provisions of Article 5 subsection 5, Article 6 subsections 4 & 5 of the NMA Constitution as amended, is not only ridiculous but also denigrating to the Chairman’s good office and person, our revered BoT, medical elders, and the esteemed congress of our State branch.

“It is regrettable that the National Secretary General of the NMA would offer himself as a willing tool to be used by a renegade group and suspended members to issue out a purported official correspondence replete with falsehood and mere fabrication of the author, with the sole intent to misinform the public, foment trouble, cause unrest in our hitherto peaceful medical environment, and distract us from the ongoing fruitful Sector-Wide advocacy and engagements with relevant stakeholders and authorities in the State, which, as a law-abiding State branch, we will not capitulate or yield to,” they said.