TWO unions in Edo State, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), which have been enmeshed in succession crisis, may soon be out of the protracted disputes.While the national secretariat of the NUJ has taken over the affairs of the Edo council of the union, a faction in the NMA leadership tussle has embraced peace.The NUJ has been unable to conduct an election to replace members of the state executive committee, whose tenure expired since June.Consequently, the National Secretariat of the union yesterday announced a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the union for three months and conduct fresh election for the contestants.In a statement signed by the National Secretary of the NUJ, Shu'aibu Leman and made available to journalists in Benin City, the union said a four-member Interim Management Committee had been raised 'to oversee the activities of the council and to organise fresh elections into the various offices of the union within three months.The committee is headed by Tunde Egberemole of The Observer newspapers while the members are Beauty Eghobamien of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Friday Isewede (State Information) and Simon Ebegbulem of the Correspondents' Chapel, who doubles as the secretary.Leman said: 'The former executive led by Friday Obanor has been directed to hand over all union property in their possession to the Interim Management Committee and to cooperate fully with the committee to ensure a smooth transition.'For the Edo NMA, which last week conducted parallel elections which produced two executive committees led by Dr. James Kpolugbo from the election conducted by the former chairman of the association, Dr. Philip Ugbodaga and Dr. Emmanuel Ighodaro as chairman from the election conducted by the national secretariat of the association, there is hope that peace would soon return to its fold. In a statement yesterday, Kpolugbo said his team had resigned their positions to restore peace in the union as he alleged that those orchestrating the crisis 'were not ready for peace for whatever reasons.'You recall, however, that a parallel executive midwifed by the national NMA was elected and sworn in three days after our election and the events thereafter have resulted in a great division that has threatened the existence of the association in Edo State, a situation that clearly negates my campaign mission of building a strong and united Edo NMA where members have a sense of commitment. I had believed that a peaceful resolution of the impasse could be achieved but it was obvious that the persons orchestrating the divisiveness were not ready for peace for whatever reasons.'It has become incumbent on me to save the Edo NMA from the impending catastrophe. To this end, my entire executive and I for the love of peace in Edo NMA have decided to resign our positions. This means that we have conceded the control of the Edo NMA to those who must rule 'by all means' to take over,' he said.In a reaction, Ugbodaga commended Kpolugbo 'for the maturity he has displayed in the resolution of the crisis in the Edo NMA. He has demonstrated that he had a very genuine intention in seeking for the position of chairman of the association.
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