Dr Babajide Saheed has been removed as Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Lagos Branch, following an Emergency General Meeting held on Saturday in Lagos. The impeachment, conducted via secret ballot, cited multiple breaches of the NMA constitution, including Saheed's refusal to convene the emergency meeting within seven days of a formal request by 10 affiliate heads and other members. Dr Temidire Ewonowo, formerly the 1st Vice-Chairman, has assumed leadership as the new Chairman, in accordance with Section 8, Section 1 of the NMA rules and regulations, which provides for automatic succession in such cases. Ewonowo stated that additional infractions included Saheed walking out of the duly constituted Emergency General Meeting on January 13, 2026, submitting a delegate list not ratified by the meeting, and referring members to a disciplinary committee based on a decision that did not occur at any official council or emergency meeting.
Ewonowo confirmed that the former chairman was served a letter requiring a response within seven days, as stipulated by the constitution, but failed to respond. He noted that the emergency meeting required a minimum of three affiliate heads and 30 members to proceed, with the actual attendance comprising 112 members and nine affiliate heads. A total of 93 members voted in favor of removal, four voted against, and three votes were invalid. The Emergency General Meeting is recognized as the highest decision-making body within the association. Ewonowo emphasized that the process adhered strictly to NMA guidelines and affirmed his commitment to unity, progress, and the welfare of doctors in Lagos. He pledged to lead a crisis-free administration and resist any conditions that dehumanize medical practitioners, stating that Lagos doctors must have their rights protected in their workplaces.
A chairman was ousted for failing to respond to constitutional demands and ignoring procedural obligations, exposing how internal governance lapses can trigger leadership collapse. The new chairman's focus on welfare and unity suggests the branch had fractured under the previous administration. When leaders disregard due process, even medical associations become battlegrounds. This is about accountability, not just personnel change.
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