Breaking: Nigerian Medical Association Suspends President Bala Audu

The Nigerian Medical Association has been plunged into a deep leadership crisis following the suspension of its National President, Bala Audu, during an Emergency Delegates Meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday. According to Ireporter Online, the gathering, attended by 63 delegates representing 23 state branches and the Federal Capital Territory, also ratified the establishment of a caretaker committee to manage the association’s affairs pending fresh elections.

The elections are expected to take place during the Annual General Meeting scheduled to hold in Kano between April 27 and May 3. The crisis is rooted in a contentious decision by the National Officers Committee, led by Audu, to disqualify six candidates from contesting in the forthcoming elections over incomplete documentation.

However, several delegates at the emergency session challenged the move, describing it as inconsistent with established electoral norms within the association. After deliberations, the delegates voted to overturn the disqualification, thereby reinstating the affected candidates and allowing them to participate in the elections.

The meeting subsequently approved the suspension of Audu, citing alleged breaches of the association’s constitution. In a swift response, the Audu-led National Officers Committee rejected both the suspension and the resolutions reached, describing the process as unconstitutional and procedurally flawed, and insisting that due process was not followed in convening the meeting.

The unfolding situation has effectively divided the association into rival factions, further escalating tensions within its leadership. Reacting to the development, the Secretary-General of the association, Ben Egbo, stated that the resolutions from the emergency meeting would be reviewed in line with constitutional provisions, adding that necessary disciplinary actions would be taken where appropriate.

Egbo also confirmed that the Annual Delegates Meeting and the scheduled elections would proceed as planned. He noted that the disqualification of one presidential candidate had been reviewed and upheld, stressing that the decision would not be reversed.

Meanwhile, the association’s leadership has dismissed the caretaker committee constituted by the delegates, maintaining that such a body lacks legitimacy outside constitutionally recognized procedures. It emphasized that only actions taken in strict compliance with the association’s constitution would be deemed valid.

With both sides maintaining firm positions, concerns continue to grow over the credibility and smooth conduct of the upcoming elections in Kano.