The crisis within the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Kogi State has prompted decisive action from the congress, which has moved to freeze the association’s account.

Due to the ongoing crisis within the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Kogi State, the association has established an interim committee comprising all past chairmen. This committee has been tasked with freezing the association’s account until new state officers are elected during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for August 11, 2024.

The decision was part of the resolutions reached at an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) held in Lokoja on July 13, 2024. The meeting, chaired by Dr. Joseph Arome Iduh and Dr. Raji Adediji Idris as Secretary, issued a ‘Vote of No Confidence’ against the suspended NMA Chairman, Dr. Baoku Olusola, and other members of the State Officers Committee (SOC).

According to the communique issued, the interim committee is mandated to oversee the affairs of the association pending the upcoming AGM. It is also empowered to address allegations of gross abuse of office and constitutional violations against the chairman and current SOC members. These allegations have been referred to the State Disciplinary Committee, with a directive to report findings within two weeks to the interim leadership, who will review the recommendations during the AGM.

Additionally, the interim committee has been authorized to exercise all powers of the SOC, interface with the Secretariat staff and affiliates, and oversee ongoing initiatives such as medical outreaches and the AGM itself. The communique highlighted the failure of the chairman and SOC to convene a SEC meeting for over nine months, contrary to NMA constitutional provisions and Kogi State Branch Bye-laws.

Furthermore, the mass resignation of seven out of eleven SOC members, including key positions like the Auditor and Secretary, has left the association without adequate governance structure, necessitating urgent attention to written petitions alleging office abuse by the chairman.

The EGM also noted issues stemming from directives from the NMA National Executive Council (NEC) to the Kogi State Branch, underscoring the need for swift resolution and organizational stability.