The Lagos State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association has removed its chairman, Babajide Saheed, after a decision reached during an Emergency General Meeting held on Saturday.
Following the development, the association’s former First Vice-Chairman, Temidire Ewonowo, has taken over leadership in accordance with the provisions of the association’s constitution.
The decision to remove Saheed was made through a secret ballot conducted among members, after allegations of repeated violations of the association’s rules and regulations.
Speaking after the meeting, Ewonowo outlined the issues that led to the action, including the former chairman’s failure to convene an Emergency General Meeting within the stipulated time after receiving a formal request from affiliate heads and members.
He also cited other concerns, such as walking out of a duly constituted Emergency General Meeting held on January 13, 2026, and submitting a delegate list that had not been ratified by the same congress.
Additionally, Ewonowo alleged that Saheed referred members to a disciplinary committee based on a decision that was not formally agreed upon by either the State Executive Council or the 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,” he said.
Ewonowo maintained that the entire process complied with the association’s constitution and that all procedural requirements were met.
He revealed that 112 members and nine affiliate heads attended the meeting, exceeding the minimum quorum required for such a decision, which is three affiliate heads and 30 members.
According to him, 93 members voted in favour of the removal, while four voted against it and three ballots were declared invalid.
He emphasised that the Emergency General Meeting remains the highest decision-making body of the association, reinforcing the legitimacy of the outcome.
