Chairman of Cross River State Businessmen’s Forum, Chief Henry Onwe, has faulted the House of Representatives’ resolution calling for the suspension of the Chief Medical Director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, describing it as hasty, harsh and unrealistic.
Onwe urged the lawmakers to launch an investigation into allegations against the CMD before considering a motion seeking his suspension.
In a statement issued in Calabar, Onwe urged the lawmakers to exercise caution, insisting that the motion was adopted without due investigation into allegations that the CMD acted on ethnic considerations in handling the posting of some medical graduates for housemanship.
He criticised the House for allegedly relying on media reports and failing to carry out a thorough probe before adopting the motion of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Afikpo North/Afikpo South Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State, Mr Iduma Igariwey.
According to Onwe, acting on allegations without hearing from all parties involved, particularly the CMD, undermines the principles of natural justice, equity and fair play, which he said should guide the legislature in matters of national importance.
He argued that available information does not show that the affected house officers had any direct interaction with Prof. Ikpeme regarding their placement, noting that claims of a meeting with the CMD are being contested and unsupported by evidence.
Onwe further questioned why the House did not interrogate the process behind the postings, including who authorised them, the criteria used, and why a disproportionate number of doctors were reportedly posted to one federal institution from a single section of the country, contrary to the federal character principle enshrined in Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution.
He also dismissed claims that the CMD’s alleged actions contributed to brain drain, arguing that many doctors who complete housemanship in Nigeria still migrate abroad, making it unfair to single out Prof. Ikpeme as responsible for shortages in the health sector.
The business leader noted that the House reportedly failed to consult relevant professional bodies such as the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, and the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, in Calabar, adding that the doctors in question had already resumed training at UCTH before the call for suspension was made.
Onwe described allegations of ethnic discrimination as unfounded, citing UCTH’s history of inclusive appointments across ethnic lines, including the recent appointment of an Igbo woman as Head of Nursing Services in November 2025 under Prof. Ikpeme’s leadership.
He called on lawmakers from Cross River State to intervene to prevent what he described as an injustice, urging the House of Representatives to revisit the motion, conduct a comprehensive investigation and allow due process to prevail, while also appealing to the Federal Government to stay any action against the CMD pending a proper inquiry.
