By BANNERNEWS Reporter
Chief Dr. Henry Onwe, Chairman of the Cross River State Businessmen’s Forum, has urged caution over the recent motion by the House of Representatives calling on the Federal Government to suspend the Chief Medical Director of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Dr. Ikpeme A. Ikpeme.
In a statement released in Calabar on Friday, Chief Onwe described the House’s resolution as “hasty, harsh and unrealistic,” noting that lawmakers acted without conducting any investigation into allegations that the CMD showed ethnic bias in the posting of some medical graduates for housemanship.
The motion was moved by Mr. Iduma Igariwey, representing Afikpo South/Afikpo North Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State.
He highlighted that claims circulating in public discourse suggested Prof. Ikpeme acted along ethnic lines in assigning internship postings.
“Acting on such allegations without careful scrutiny is counterproductive,” Onwe said, stressing the need for fairness and due process.
Chief Onwe criticised the House for failing to give all parties, including the CMD, the opportunity to present their positions.
“For a body of the status of the National Assembly, painstaking investigation must precede any decision or action,” he said, stressing that equity, fair play, and justice must guide the process.
He pointed out that there is no evidence the affected house officers had direct interaction with Prof. Ikpeme concerning their placements, and that claims of a meeting with him remain contested.
“There is also no proof he made any statement rejecting anyone on tribal grounds,” Onwe added, noting that the CMD is the only person authorised to speak for UCTH—a point overlooked by the House.
Referring to the Nigerian Constitution, Onwe emphasised that the country’s foundation rests on natural justice and the Federal Character Principle, which mandates that all government agencies reflect Nigeria’s diversity to promote unity and prevent dominance by any ethnic or regional group.
He further questioned the process behind the postings, asking who authorised them, the criteria used, why most postings went to a single region, and how equity and national spread would be ensured.
Onwe argued that answers to these questions could have guided the House to a measured and lasting decision.
Onwe also challenged claims linking the CMD’s actions to brain drain, noting that doctors who complete housemanship in Nigeria often migrate abroad regardless.
He said blaming Dr. Ikpeme for the shortage of medical personnel is “giving a dog a bad name just to hang it.”
The Cross River State leader criticised the House for relying solely on media reports without consulting relevant professional bodies such as the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) in Calabar.
He noted that the doctors involved had already commenced training before the motion was adopted.
Chief Onwe called on Cross River lawmakers to intervene, ensure justice for Dr. Ikpeme, and urge the House to conduct a thorough investigation before any action.
He also appealed to the Federal Government to stay any suspension, stressing the importance of dialogue, truth, and due process in matters that could deepen divisions.
