NMA suspends chairman in Kogi for financial offences

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kogi State Chapter, has suspended its Chairman, Olusola Baoku, over alleged constitutional, administrative and financial violations.

David Ayemila, a former chairman of the NMA, told journalists during a speech at an extraordinary congress over the weekend that a committee had been set up to hold power until August 11, 2024, when elections would be held to create a new state executive committee.

It was revealed that the Congress had decided to create a vacuum by empowering the Committee of Former Chairmen chaired by Ayemila and Zubair Kabiru as Secretary to take over the running of the association until fresh elections were held and a new executive committee appointed.

Ayemila attributed the crisis plaguing the association to the manner in which the suspended chairman was handling the affairs of the association.

“Our committee was launched today, July 13, 2024, to monitor the activities of the Nigeria Medical Association until August 11, when a new leadership of the association will be elected,” Ayemila noted.

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Ayemila explained that the decision to dissolve the former national executive committee was due to its failure to manage the association well and avoid avoidable challenges facing the association and the only way out was to set up a new interim management committee.

He blamed the inability of the dissolved state officials to organize meetings and therefore decided to establish a new body to manage the affairs of the association. At the same time, he asked the members to support and cooperate with the new board in carrying out its duties.

“Congress also empowered the Association of Former Chairmen by transferring all the powers of the Committee of State Officers to the Committee of Former Chairmen.

“The committee is to ensure that the medical and surgical care proposed for Okene is provided, including a successful election and annual general meeting,” he added.

It will be recalled that under Baoku, seven members of the board resigned for 2022 and 2023 after the crisis rocked the association.