By LILIAN. U. OKORO

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Lagos Branch, has removed its Chairman, Dr Babajide Saheed.

As a result, Dr Temidire Ewonowo has taken over leadership of the association as the new Chairman.

The impeachment took place on Saturday in Lagos during an Emergency General Meeting of the association, following purported repeated violations of the rules and regulations of NMA by the former Chairman, Saheed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agreement for removal was conducted through a secret ballot voting method by members.

Following a majority consent to remove the chairman, the 1st Vice-Chairman automatically assumed office, as provided in the NMA constitution.

Shedding more light, the new Chairman, Ewonowo, who was the former 1st vice-chairman, said among infractions that led to the removal of Saheed, was the request by 10 affiliate heads and some members of NMA for an Emergency General Meeting and the NMA Lagos state chairman’s refusal to convene the meeting within seven days.

According to him, walking out of a duly constituted Emergency General Meeting on Jan.13, 2026 and submission of a delegate list that was not ratified by the Emergency General Meeting on Jan. 13, 2026, were part of the breaches committed by the chairman.

He added that anotherr infraction was referring members of the NMA Lagos State to a disciplinary committee based on an unfounded premise of a decision that did not occur at the State Executive Council Meeting and Emergency General Meeting.

“Before now, I was the 1st vice-chairman.

“The former chairman was served a letter by the affiliate heads to say his own side of what has happened with respect to some of these constitutional infractions, within a period of seven days as contained in the constitution, he didn’t respond.

“There is a window period of three days, that an emergency meeting should be held; following its failure to hold, which is today, it was on the basis and in line with our rules and regulations that the congress alongside the heads of the affiliates take a decision that the former chairman be removed from office.

“So, I’m now the new NMA Chairman.

“This is because section eight of section one of the NMA rules and regulations clearly stated that where the chairman is removed from office, the 1st vice-chairman shall become the chairman,” Ewonowo said.

Ewonowo emphasised that the election was in line with NMA rules and regulations, which stated a minimum of three affiliate heads and 30 members must be present at a congress where such resolution would be made.

He noted that the emergency meeting (congress) had in attendance 112 members and nine affiliate heads, as a total of 93 members voted for the chairman to be removed from office, while four votes were against and three votes were invalid.

According to him, the emergency general meeting is the highest decision-making organ of the association.

Affirming his commitment to serve the association, Ewonowo assured commitment to progress the association and resolve every differences existing among members, saying that crisis does not give room growth and development.

According to him, welfare of doctors and progress of the association are paramount.

He said, “We have just been elected as part of the equals to lead the association.

“So, on that basis, we will work together as a congress. ”

“We will work together with the State Executive Council so that at the end of the day, we will have a crisis-free regime.

“But for me as a person that has been in public offices even long before now, I have always believed in the welfare of all members.

“This is not an era where Lagos doctors will have no rights in their place of work. This is not the time where a Lagos doctor will be subjected to a dehumanised condition. This association will resist that vehemently.”

He assured that It was an era where the leadership would do everything humanly possible to protect the welfare of doctors.

“We will keep the communication line between us and all the affiliate groups.

“Remember that the reason why we have Nigerian Medical Association today is because we have the affiliate group coming together to form what is referred to as NMA,” he said. (NAN)

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