Lagos State branch of the Nigeria Medical Association has removed its Chairman, Babajide Saheed, following a decision reached at an Emergency General Meeting held on Saturday in Lagos.

Consequently, the association’s former 1st Vice-Chairman, Temidire Ewonowo, has assumed office as the new chairman in line with the provisions of the NMA constitution.

The decision to remove Saheed was taken through a secret ballot by members of the association, after allegations of repeated violations of the body’s rules and regulations.

Speaking on the development, Ewonowo outlined several infractions that led to the former chairman’s removal, including his failure to convene an Emergency General Meeting within seven days after receiving a request from affiliate heads and members.

According to him, other breaches included walking out of a duly constituted Emergency General Meeting held on January 13, 2026, and submitting a delegate list that was not ratified by the same congress.

He also accused the former chairman of referring members to a disciplinary committee based on what he described as an unfounded decision that was never reached at either the State Executive Council Meeting 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 process complied fully with the association’s constitution, noting that the required quorum for such a decision was met.

He disclosed that the meeting had 112 members and nine affiliate heads in attendance, surpassing the minimum requirement of three affiliate heads and 30 members.

According to him, 93 members voted in favour of the removal, while four opposed the motion and three votes were declared invalid.

He further emphasised that the Emergency General Meeting remains the highest decision-making body of the association.