NMA removes Lagos chairman, appoints new leader
Lagos State Medical Association Removes Chairman Following Emergency Meeting
LAGOS — The Lagos State branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has removed its chairman, Babajide Saheed, following an Emergency General Meeting held on Saturday.
Temidire Ewonowo, the former 1st vice-chairman, has taken over as chairman, in accordance with the NMA’s constitutional provisions.
The decision to remove Saheed was made through a secret ballot, with members citing violations of the association’s rules and regulations. Ewonowo highlighted several infractions that contributed to the decision, including Saheed’s failure to convene an Emergency General Meeting within the required seven days after requests from affiliate heads and members. Additional breaches reportedly included his departure from a scheduled Emergency General Meeting on January 13, 2026, and the submission of a delegate list that had not been ratified by the congress.
Ewonowo further accused the former chairman of referring members to a disciplinary committee based on an “unfounded decision” that had not been established in any official meeting.
“Before now, I was the 1st vice-chairman,” Ewonowo stated. “The former chairman was served a letter by the affiliate heads to explain his side regarding these constitutional infractions within a seven-day period, as required. He did not respond.”
He noted that the failure to hold an emergency meeting within three days prompted the congress to decide on Saheed’s removal.
Ewonowo confirmed that the process adhered to the association’s constitution, stating that the meeting convened with a quorum met. A total of 112 members attended, including nine affiliate heads, surpassing the minimum requirement of 30 members and three affiliate heads. Out of the votes cast, 93 were in favor of the removal, while four opposed it and three were deemed invalid.
He emphasized that the Emergency General Meeting is the highest decision-making body of the association, underscoring its legitimacy.
