The National leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners, NANTMP, on Thursday declared that the association's operational system would not be truncated in Ebonyi State.
The National President represented by the Vice President of the asssociation in the South East region, Nze Dr Okwudili Umezude disclosed this on his congratulatory message to the newly elected officials of NANTMP in Ebonyi State.
Reading the congratulatory message by the newly elected State Treasurer of Ebonyi State NANTMP, Amb. Dr. Mrs Stella Amadi at Igbedu Ukwagba Ngbo, the State Coordinator's country home in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, the National Executives of the asssociation maintained that nothing would make them to allow factional leadership of their members in Ebonyi.
According to Mrs Amadi, the national leadership of the association has strongly commended the State NANTMP's election held at People's Club in Abakaliki Town last Saturday.
The association in Ebonyi was reportedly elected Rev. Dr. Samuel Ezenyi as the State Chairman while Chief Dr Sunday Iduma emerged Vice Chairman, Dr Paul Ubani - Secretary and Amb. Dr Mrs Stella Amadi as the Treasurer.
Others were Chief Dr Queen Nwokoro - the Assistant Secretary, Dr Christian Ikema - Financial Secretary, Dr Chinedu Opoke - Publicity Secretary, Dr Agnes Ominyi Okah - Woman Leader, Chief Dr Ezaka Ujebe - Internal Auditor, Dr Josephine Onyike -Welfare Officer I, Dr Eucheria Omenyi - Welfare II, Dr Godwin Onwe - Ex-Officio I and Dr John Nwibo - Ex-Officio II.
The election's result announced by the Chairman Electoral Committee, Chief Dr Uche Umeh under the supervision of the National leadership being represented by Nze Dr Okwudili Umezude, the NANTMP's National Vice President, Southeast zone and other representatives from health ministry both in the state and at the national level.
Umezude has charged the members of the association in the State to be strictly operating in line with their constitution, assuring them the national leadership's continuous support to have a successful administration.
Though, NATIONAL PANEL learnt that the association had a parallel election, one produced Chief Dr Augustine Ekechi as the State Chairman, Dr Pastor Elijah Ogbonna Obasi, emerged Vice Chairman and others elected into various offices available in the association.
But the National leaders according to Umezude were not aware of any other election except the one which produced Rev. Dr Samuel Ezenyi as the Ebonyi State Chairman of NANTMP.
"Anybody contradicting provisions allowed by our constitution regards election of NANTMP Executives both at the local, state, zonal and national level should consider himself as the enemy of progress and we can't take it lightly with such person.
"How can Augustine Ekechi and his cronies claimed that they conducted election involving native doctors and other traditional medical dealers in Ebonyi State without informing us. I don't believe this because it is a falsehood coming from pit of hells.
"We are strongly behind those who follow due process and has strictly followed our constitution regards conduct of the state election.
"NANTMP at national level will always support Ezenyi and his group to make sure that the interest and welfare of our members in Ebonyi State are well protected."
He added: "Thank God, we are traditional medicine practitioners, we work with the soil, the deities, and whatever one does, the deities or the soil will locate him or her. This is an association that stands by its own, commissioner or even the minister has no right to control this association. But the minister and other relevant bodies or authourities in line with our practices have the right to partner with us. It should be by cooperation for progress and development in our society not for them to incite crisis because of whatever interest they may have.
"The work of National Vice President is to conduct the election and alert the commissioners of whichever states in his zone to witness the election. We call them observers and those elected as the executives will be handed over to the ministry for harmonization of their operation."
He pleaded with government in power to help them to advance their practice, pointing that new technologies are now available in the market but how to access them has been their greatest challenge.
He however, advised his colleagues to remain peaceful and learn new ways of improving their trade, by working together for the progress of the association in the state.
Recall that Rev Dr Samuel Ezenyi has expressed gratitude for his emergence as the Chairman of NANTMP in the state, calling his members to come together to work for the progress of the asssociation.
He thanked Governor David Nweze Umahi for his leadership style which according to him, made the NANTMP members under his watch paid him new year homage this year, commending his developmental strides in the state.
He noted that Austin Ekechi and his cronies decided to oppose him because the governor promised to advance traditional medicine system, by promising to build school of traditional medicine in the state.
"Augustine Ekechi stepped down for me far before this election, we have no problem, why should one telling you that NANTMP elected him as the new Chairman.
"I remain the Chairman-elect of NANTMP in Ebonyi State, and we are going to work with all our members. We are solidly behind the government of Ebonyi State and Nigeria at large.
"That's why immediately the governor asked us to do data capturing, we collectively endorsed what the governor said, because he has a good plan for traditional medicine practitioners in this state. During our new year homage to the governor, he really impressed us, and even promised to build School of Traditional Medicine for us in our state, this might be the reason why Augustine Ekechi and few others decided laying claim over my office after our election," Ezenyi said.
He called for the members' support, assuring them for an exemplary leadership within the stipulated four years allowed by NANTMP's constitution.
"I only need my members' support, I'm not greedy, just four years I will complete my tenure but I wonder how Ekechi after six years in the office, begins now to struggle for what does not belong to him. His tenure has expired, and even the Chairmanship position was not zoned to his local government area, it is my local government that the position of Chairman was zone to, Ekechi shouldn't allow anybody to deceive him," he added.
In the vein, the State Coordinator of the asssociation, Chief Dr Peter Ezeigbo congratulated the newly elected officials and assured them his continuous support, calling the national leaders of NANTMP to always respond when their attention is needed in Ebonyi.
An attempt to hearing from, Chief Dr Austin Ekechi, he said his election as the State Chairman of NANTMP was conducted by the State Ministry of Health as approved by Ebonyi State Government and urged all traditional medicine dealers to queue behind him as he could not disobey the authourities in the state for the success of the asssociation.
Rev. Dr. Samuel Ezenyi at the middle with his hands raised up by the members of the NANTMP after being declared winner as the Ebonyi State Chairman of NANTMP.
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