Dr Casmir Ifeanyi 



By Tony Icheku in Abuja



The President of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi on Tuesday affirmed his legitimacy amidst a leadership dispute during a press conference with journalists in Abuja.


Dr Ifeanyi also dismissed as fictitious a press release by one Uche Odionyema claiming he had been reinstated as AMLSN President by stakeholders, and zonal representatives at a meeting held in Benin  City and chaired by former Chairman of the Governing Board, MLSCN,  Prof. Dennis Edo Agbonlahor.


"No such meeting took place, except in the imagination of the author", he declared


Ifeanyi maintained that his election remains uncontested in any Nigerian court, affirming his authority and the legitimacy of his tenure, which extends until 2026. He called for calm among members and asserted that any individual claiming to have been sworn in as the new president was acting illegally. He pointed out that only a court order could remove him from office, and no such order exists.


The AMLSN national elections were held on Saturday, November 16, 2023 and resulted in the election of Ifeanyi as the 15th  AMLSN national president along with 12 other members of the 15th AMLSN national executive officers.


 Ifeanyi reiterated the commitment of the new leadership to work collaboratively with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government and the Minister of Health to strengthen the health sector in line with the principles of the administration’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda.

 

Regarding the disputes that arose when the chairman of the Board of Trustees allegedly swore in another individual, the President clarified that this act was beyond the chairman’s constitutional powers. He mentioned that legal motions related to the dispute are still ongoing, with a motion for a stay of execution filed in the Court of Appeal as early as 2023, before his election.


He presented his certificate of return, underscoring his position as the 15th national president of AMLSN, and noted that the individual contesting his presidency lacks a similar certificate. He reiterated that the term the individual was contesting has already concluded and cannot be revived in the current administration.


The mission of AMLSN is to promote the advancement of global best practices in the Medical Laboratory Science profession and national health services in Nigeria. The association operates at the national/secretariat level, state/branch level and chapter/institutional level.