Embattled chairman of the Akwa Ibom State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Emem Abraham, has described her purported impeachment as a ruse, explaining that those plotting her removal about five weeks to the end of her tenure were still smarting from losing the election in 2022.
Abraham was allegedly impeached by a group led by the NMA secretary, Dr Usenobong Akpan, who, she said, illegally declared himself as the new chairman.
Addressing a press conference at the NMA Secretariat, Doctors’ Mess, Uyo, the state capital yesterday evening, Abraham dismissed her purported removal along with the vice chairman over a flimsy excuse of financial impropriety and abuse of office as a reflection of the pains her opposition is still nursing after losing the contest in 2022.
She said the secretary took the action along with other erring members to forestall a pending disciplinary action awaiting him over some unacceptable actions, including disobedience to directives by the leadership of the NMA.
She listed the sins of the secretary as including refusal to make public the two resolutions reached by the congress on strike action as the last resort to draw government attention to their kidnapped colleague, Dr John Esu, who was abducted and held for 18 days in kidnappers’ den.
“He (the secretary) took the minutes when we resolved that the only way to ensure our colleague was released from the den of kidnappers, was to embark on a warning strike for 72 – hours. But he refused to release the communique for publication.
“Again, after the 72-hour strike, and nothing happened, and our colleague was still being held, we met and reviewed the action and resolved to go on indefinite strike. Again, he refused to make the communique public for publication. At that point, the matter was taken before the appropriate authorities within the hierarchy of the NMA for disciplinary action.
“We did not suspend him; he was only asked to step aside, but on Sunday, June 2, at a Congress meeting, he and his supporters turned the meeting into a rowdy scene, and we went into a recess that forced the meeting to an abrupt end.
“Because of the security risk, we later resumed the meeting virtually and successfully concluded it with the forthcoming election in July properly considered, deliberated on, and concluded.
“And people are now talking about my impeachment. The entire executive except my vice chairman, who attended a meeting outside the state and could not fly because of the strike are all here, as you can see,” she said.