Dr. Olusola Baoku, the chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association’s Kogi State Chapter, has been placed under suspension due to purported financial, administrative, and constitutional violations.
Former NMA Chairman Dr. David Ayemila informed reporters during an emergency congress on Saturday in Lokoja, the state capital, that a committee has been established to rule until August 11, 2024, when elections to select new state executives will take place.
It was discovered that the congress decided to make sure there is never a void by giving the committee of past chairmen, led by Ayemila, and Dr. Zubair Kabiru, as secretary, the authority to take over the association’s operations until a new election is anticipated and new officials are chosen.
Ayemila ascribed the situation to the suspended chairman’s handling of the association’s business.
“Our committee was inaugurated today, July 13, 2024 to watch the activities of the Nigeria Medical Association until August 11 when a new leadership of the association would be elected,” Ayemila told me.
Ayemila stated that the decision to dissolve the former State Exco was due to their failure to effectively manage the association and prevent avoidable challenges that the association faced, and that the only way out is to form a new interim management committee.
He attributed the decision to form a new body to manage the association’s operations to the former state officers’ incapacity to schedule meetings.
Ayemila urged members to support and work with them in carrying out their mission.
What they’re saying
He stated, “The Congress also empowered the Association of Past Chairmen by delegating all functions from the State Officers Committee to the Committee of Past Chairmen.
“The committee is to ensure that the medical and surgical outreach proposed for Okene holds, including a successful election and Annual General Meeting.”Recall that under Baoku’s tenure, seven members of the 2022-2023 executive committee quit in response to the association’s crisis.
In Essence
Given that seven members of the 2022-2023 executive committee resigned during Baoku’s tenure, it appears there were longstanding issues contributing to the current crisis.
The upcoming elections will be crucial in determining the future direction of the NMA in Kogi State and restoring confidence among its members.
The success of the medical and surgical outreach proposed for Okene, along with the Annual General Meeting and elections, will be key indicators of the interim committee’s effectiveness in managing the association and resolving its challenges.
