Housemanship: Onwe Tackles Reps Over Call For Suspension Of UCTH CMD

Chairman of the Cross River State Business Men’s Forum, High Chief Dr. Henry Onwe, has called on the House of Representatives and the Federal Government to exercise restraint over the move to suspend the Chief Medical Director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Professor Ikpeme A. Ikpeme, warning that the action would be taken without due investigation and could undermine justice and national unity.

The call was contained in a press statement released to journalists in Calabar on Friday, January 26, 2026, and personally signed by Chief Onwe, in which he criticised the House of Representatives for adopting a motion urging the suspension of the UCTH CMD without first carrying out what he described as a “painstaking investigation” into the allegations surrounding housemanship placements at the hospital.

Chief Onwe said recent public discussions on internship placements at UCTH had raised concerns, particularly allegations that the CMD acted on ethnic considerations in dealing with some medical graduates.

He noted, however, that acting on such allegations without careful verification would be “counterproductive.”

“The impulsive call by the House of Representatives on the Federal Government to suspend the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital Chief Medical Director, Prof. Ikpeme A. Ikpeme, based on the adoption on Thursday of a Motion of Urgent Public Importance moved by the member representing Afikpo South/Afikpo North Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State, Mr. Iduma Igariwey, is hasty, harsh and unrealistic,” Onwe said.

He insisted that given the status and responsibility of the National Assembly, any matter of such gravity ought to be thoroughly investigated before any recommendation or action is taken.

“To reach a decision that is without bias or error, there is compelling need for the House of Representatives to carry out thorough investigation where all the parties involved in the matter are given opportunity to fully express themselves and state their position as it affects them before a decision is reached or an action is taken, in the interest of equity, fair play and justice,” he said.

Onwe questioned the basis of the allegations, noting that available information suggested the affected house officers did not have any direct interaction with the CMD over their internship placements.

“From information available, there is no indication or evidence that the affected house officers had any direct interaction with the CMD concerning their internship placement. The claim, as implied in their complaint to ARISE TV, that they had a meeting with him is being contested. So who exactly were they dealing with?” he asked.

He added that there was no evidence, formal or informal, that Professor Ikpeme made any statement suggesting that anyone was rejected on tribal or any other grounds.

“It is therefore unsettling that an accusation of ethnic bias is being acted upon in the Federal House of Representatives without clear proof or first-hand engagement,” Onwe said, stressing that Prof. Ikpeme “is the only person authorised to speak on behalf of UCTH, whom the House of Representatives did not contact to speak on the issue.”

Referencing the Nigerian Constitution, Onwe said the country was founded on the principles of natural justice, equity and fair play.

“It is on this basis that Section 14, subsection 3 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) emphasises the Federal Character Principle in all aspects of the country’s activities,” he said.

“That section mandates that the composition of any organ of government and its agencies must reflect Nigeria’s diversity in order to promote national unity and prevent the dominance of any state, ethnic or sectional group.”

He argued that lawmakers ought to have first interrogated critical issues surrounding the housemanship postings before reaching their conclusions.

“They ought to have asked: who authorised the postings? What criteria was used? How come 99 per cent of those posted to one federal institution are from one section of the country? Are there no qualified persons from other sections? And what should be done to ensure equity and national spread in line with the principle of federal character?” he said.

According to him, answers to those questions would have guided the House of Representatives to a “far-reaching decision that would provide lasting solutions” and prevent similar controversies in the future.

Onwe also faulted claims by the House that the alleged action of the CMD was contributing to brain drain, describing the argument as flawed.

“There is no guarantee that after their housemanship, the said medical doctors would remain in Nigeria to practise,” he said.

“Doctors who are leaving the country in droves also did their housemanship here. Heaping the blame for the shortage of doctors in the healthcare system on Prof. Ikpeme amounts to giving a dog a bad name just to hang it.”

He further accused the House of relying solely on media reports without engaging relevant professional bodies.

“The House of Representatives copiously quoted media reports during deliberations and came to a conclusion without calling the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) or the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Calabar to ascertain the veracity of those reports,” he said.

Onwe noted that the lawmakers were also unaware that the doctors in question had already commenced their housemanship training at UCTH more than a week before the motion was adopted.

Taking a swipe at the sponsor of the motion, Hon. Iduma Igariwey, Chief Onwe said the lawmaker appeared to have ignored the long-standing record of inclusiveness at UCTH.

“Over the years, UCTH has consistently maintained fairness and a brotherly disposition in appointing top medical doctors, nurses and paramedics of Igbo origin to positions of authority,” he said, adding that claims of ethnic discrimination were “unfounded and inconsistent” with the hospital’s administrative history.

He cited the appointment of an Igbo woman as Head of Nursing Services in November 2025 by Prof. Ikpeme as evidence that contradicted allegations of tribal exclusion.

“Most of those appointed serve next in rank to the CMD,” Onwe said.

“This reflects the accommodating disposition of the average Cross Riverian, who sees other ethnic groups as brothers and sisters, even when people of the state have not been fairly treated in some places.”

He called on members of the House of Representatives from Cross River State to intervene and prevent what he described as injustice against the CMD.

“They should ensure that the House returns to this motion and does the right thing by carrying out a thorough investigation of the saga surrounding the current posting of housemanship doctors to UCTH before reaching any decision,” he said.

He also urged the Federal Government to suspend any action arising from the House’s resolution.

“It is pertinent at this juncture to call on the Federal Government to stay any action against the CMD based on the motion of Thursday, January 26,” he said.

“As citizens, we owe it to ourselves and to the country to seek truth, promote dialogue and allow due process to prevail, especially in matters capable of deepening divisions.”