NMA Election: Doctors Threaten Protests Over Plot To Disqualify Prof Ofem Enang From Contesting

By Judex OKORO There is palpable fear and tension among members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) over the plot to disqualify one of the leading candidates at its 2026 national elections. The doctors across the country are threatening protests over what they describe as the illegal disqualification of a leading presidential candidate. The controversy has also drawn attention to the role of the current NMA President, Prof Bala Audu, who is accused of attempting to influence the outcome of the election scheduled to be held in Kano from April 26 to May 2, 2026. The crisis followed the reported disqualification of Prof Ofem Enang, widely regarded among members as the frontrunner in the race, over alleged “incomplete photocopied documentation.” But the Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) branch of the association, Dr Akinnagbe Fernandez, said the decision violates the NMA constitution and could undermine the credibility of the election. In a statement on Tuesday, Fernandez alleged that the decision to bar the candidate was based on the claim that photocopies of some documents were not submitted, even though the originals are already in the custody of National Officers Committee at the NMA secretariat. “The purported disqualification of Prof Ofem Enang is based on the claim that photocopies of certain documents were not submitted, even though those original documents are already before the NMA secretariat,” he said. According to him, the justification being cited by the National Officers Committee is not recognised under the association’s constitution. Fernandez explained that Article 11 of the NMA Constitution, which deals on elections and administrative eligibility requirements, only stipulates that a candidate must submit a properly completed nomination form endorsed by a proposer and another who seconded it and who are members in good standing of the association. He said the provision requires that the sponsors must possess valid practising licences and be duly verified medical doctors, adding that once those conditions are met, the candidate is deemed eligible to contest. “The constitution does not recognise ‘incomplete documentation’ as a ground for disqualification,” Fernandez stated. “So long as the nomination form is properly completed and the proposer and seconder are members in good standing with current practising licences, the candidate is eligible to contest.” He questioned why the electoral authorities would hinge a disqualification on photocopies of documents already available within the association. “The secretariat itself has photocopying facilities and can reproduce any document at any time, so hinging a disqualification on photocopies of documents already in their possession raises serious concerns,” he said. Fernandez further alleged that the development may be linked to the association’s leadership’s efforts to influence the election outcome. “The real issue is that the current NMA President, Prof Bala Audu, appears desperate to impose his preferred candidate who does not enjoy widespread support among doctors,” he alleged. Audu, who also serves as Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare, Bauchi State, has been accused by some members of presiding over an administration marked by internal disputes within the association. Fernandez said available feedback and informal polls among members across the six geopolitical zones indicate that Enang currently enjoys the widest support nationwide. To buttress his argument, he cited a precedent from the 2022 NMA presidential election, when a candidate, Dr K. J. Okoro, was cleared to contest despite not submitting photocopies of certain documents, as there was no constitutional provision requiring them. Fernandez insisted that Enang has not violated any section of the NMA constitution and therefore has no constitutional barrier to contesting the election. “Prof Enang has not breached any aspect of the constitution that could warrant disqualification,” he said. He warned that doctors across the country are already mobilising to resist what they see as a grave injustice. “Doctors nationwide are mobilising to ensure that this injustice does not stand and that the integrity of the NMA electoral process is protected,” Fernandez said. Attempts to reach the NMA President, Prof Bala Audu, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls placed to his phone.