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The House of Representatives on Thursday stepped into the growing controversy surrounding the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, ordering a full investigation into allegations of ethnic discrimination in the recruitment of medical house officers and calling for the immediate suspension of the hospital’s Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Ikpeme A. Ikpeme.
The lawmakers’ intervention followed nationwide outrage triggered by a viral complaint from newly graduated medical doctors who alleged they were unlawfully rejected by UCTH for their mandatory one-year housemanship on ethnic grounds.
According to the aggrieved doctors, the rejection was based on claims by the CMD that the list of doctors posted to the hospital by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) was skewed against indigenes of Cross River State. Of the 17 doctors posted, 15 were reportedly of Igbo extraction, a development the CMD allegedly cited as the basis for turning them away.
The House’s decision to investigate the matter came after a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rt. Hon. Iduma Igariwey Enwo, who represents Afikpo North/Afikpo South Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State.
Moving the motion, Hon. Igariwey accused Prof. Ikpeme of rejecting a bona fide list of doctors duly posted to UCTH by the MDCN, the statutory regulatory body responsible for postings to teaching hospitals across the country.
Leading the debate, the lawmaker expressed deep concern over reports that the rejection was solely because the majority of the doctors were Igbo, describing the alleged action as a clear breach of the 1999 Constitution.
“It is alarming that by rejecting a legitimate list sent by a regulatory body on the basis of tribe and region, the CMD is in dangerous violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which expressly protects citizens from discrimination,” Igariwey told the House.
He further disclosed that efforts by professional bodies, including the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Cross River State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), to resolve the matter were reportedly rebuffed by the CMD.
Lawmakers warned that such conduct, if left unchecked, could further damage Nigeria’s already fragile healthcare system, particularly at a time when the country is grappling with an exodus of medical professionals.
Citing industry data, Hon. Igariwey noted that Nigeria currently has about 40,000 licensed doctors, far below the estimated 300,000 required to adequately serve the nation’s healthcare needs.
The House described the alleged rejection of the MDCN-posted doctors as disturbing, stressing that discrimination on grounds of tribe or region is not only unconstitutional but also antithetical to national unity.
By rejecting a list issued by the MDCN, the lawmakers said, Prof. Ikpeme may have violated constitutional provisions that safeguard Nigerians against discrimination based on ethnicity, origin, or language.
Members of the House also described the alleged conduct as “polarising and repugnant,” arguing that discriminatory tendencies within federal institutions are contributing significantly to the wave of medical professionals leaving Nigeria for opportunities abroad.
They further reminded the House that UCTH is a federal institution under the University of Calabar, established as a centre of excellence in learning, research, and professional conduct.
“It is deeply embarrassing that an official occupying such a sensitive position in a federal teaching hospital would act in a manner that undermines the values of unity and fairness on which the institution was founded,” one lawmaker said during the debate.
Following deliberations, the House resolved to mandate its Committee on Health Institutions to investigate the allegations thoroughly and report back within four weeks.
In addition, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Health to immediately suspend Prof. Ikpeme to prevent any possible interference with the investigation.
Speaking to journalists after the plenary, Hon. Igariwey described the alleged actions of the CMD as a “terrible contradiction,” noting that Prof. Ikpeme himself benefited from Nigeria’s diversity during his training.
“This is a man who studied at the University of Benin and undertook further medical training at the Orthopaedic Hospital in Enugu,” the lawmaker said. “How do you benefit from the unity of this country and then turn around to reject young doctors simply because of their tribe?”
As the controversy continues to stir debate across the country, stakeholders say the outcome of the House investigation will serve as a critical test of the federal government’s commitment to fairness, unity, and constitutionalism within Nigeria’s public institutions—especially at a time when the health sector can least afford further cracks
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