NMA Kogi branch suspends chairman over financial misconduct

The Kogi State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has suspended its Chairman, Dr Olusola Baoku, pending an inquiry into alleged constitutional, administrative, and financial fraud.

During an emergency meeting in Lokoja, the state capital, on Saturday, former NMA Chairman Dr. David Ayemila informed press that an interim committee has been formed to run activities until August 11, 2024, when new elections would be held to elect new state leaders.

To prevent a leadership gap, the congress empowered a committee, led by Dr. Ayemila and Dr. Kabiru, to manage the association’s affairs temporarily until new elections are held and new officers take over.

Ayemila attributed the crisis that affected the association to the way the sispended chairman handled the association’s affairs.

“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 noted.

Ayemila stated that the decision for the dissolution of the former State Exco was as a result of their failure to manage the association well and preventing avoidable challenges which the association was subjected to, adding that, the only way out is to constitute the new interim management committee.

The inability of the former state officers to organize meetings led to the decision to establish a new governing body to manage the association’s affairs.

Ayemila urged members to offer their support and collaboration to the new leadership body, enabling them to effectively carry out their responsibilities.

He said, “The congress also empowered the Association of Past chairmen by transmitting all the powers of 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.”

Baoku’s term was marked by a crisis that resulted in the resignation of seven executive committee members in 2022-2023, as previously reported.