The President of Association of Resident Doctors ESUT-Teaching hospital, Parklane, Dr Chima Edeoga, has revealed that the crisis and consequent cancellation of the election of chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Enugu State chapter was not only regrettable but preventable.
Edeoga revealed that all attempts for a peaceful resolution of the grievances were neglected.
“Petitions titled- conspiracy to disenfranchise members of ARD ESUT-Teaching Hospital Parklane and a call for urgent intervention dated March 2020 and a reminder in July 2020 was not acted on,” said Edeoga.
He further revealed that the election was disrupted by aggrieved resident doctors who were disenfranchised despite meeting the requirements for voting.
Reasons given by the electoral committee for disqualifying some members from voting are failure to pay check-off dues and other levies. But ARD Parklane insisted that members whose check-off dues and levies are remitted to the national body must be allowed to vote.
“There were 289 members on the list submitted from Parklane and the electoral committee chairman initially agreed that since the seven million naira remitted to the national body in 2years covers only106 members, only that number of persons will be allowed to vote. He however reneged on the agreement refusing those 106 on the list from voting,” Edeoga explained.
“The aggrieved members disrupted the election at Michael Okpara Square chanting, “we need to vote” but there was no form of violence at the Square,” Edeoga asserted.
There is a little twist conflicting the Edeoga’s side of the story. In a short video clip making rounds in social media, ballot papers were seen on the ground at the Square.
But Edeoga maintained that no form of violence ensued at the election venue.
“It is saddening that even when the election had been declared null and void, the electoral committee chairman and the outgoing chairman Ike Okwesiri carried the ballot box to a secret location to count and even announced a winner,” Edeoga said.
However, the returning officer, NMA Enugu chapter, Dr Chuka Agunwa in an update on the state’s chairmanship election declared the process marred with gross irregularities and violence.
“The entire process is hereby cancelled and further details to be made available in the next 72 hours,” Agunwa announced.
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