A political support group have appealed to the Federal Government to give qualified indigenes of Cross River State fair consideration in the ongoing process to appoint a substantive Chief Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar.
The appeal was contained in a letter dated July 29, 2026, addressed to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare. The document bears a receiving stamp from the Office of the Coordinating Minister dated July 30, 2026.
The letter was signed by Ezama, Castro Adoga, identified as Director General of the National Patriotic Front for Tinubu (NPFT), and Patrick Ali, identified as Cross River State Chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP).
The groups described the leadership vacancy at the hospital as an opportunity for the Federal Government to appoint what they called a qualified, competent and experienced Cross River indigene to head the institution.
The Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar, is one of Nigeria’s longstanding specialist mental-health institutions. The hospital describes itself as Nigeria’s pioneer mental-health institution, with a history dating back to 1903.
FNPH Calabar
Appeal based on merit, equity and federal character
According to the letter, the request is not intended to undermine merit but is based on what the groups described as the principles of fairness, equity, merit, inclusiveness and the Federal Character Principle.
The organisations argued that Cross River State has medical professionals, psychiatrists, researchers and healthcare administrators with extensive experience who could potentially provide effective leadership for the institution.
They further urged the Minister to ensure that qualified Cross River candidates receive what they described as “fair and objective consideration” during the selection process.
The groups also linked their appeal to the political support they say Cross River has provided to the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly with respect to the government’s healthcare reform agenda.
They said an appointment based on competence, integrity and fairness would strengthen the hospital and contribute to the delivery of quality mental-health services.
Appointment process already attracting debate
The appeal comes amid growing public interest in the selection of a substantive Medical Director for the Calabar institution.
In June, the Cross River State Consultative Forum separately called on the Federal Government to ensure that the appointment process was transparent and provided a level playing field for all candidates. The forum raised concerns about the perception of a possible conflict of interest involving the acting Medical Director, Dr Emmanuel Essien, who was also reportedly seeking the substantive position.
The forum stressed that appointments to strategic public institutions should not only be fair but should also be seen to be fair. It appealed to President Tinubu, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Character Commission to ensure a transparent, merit-driven process.
The issue has also generated disagreement among groups within and around the hospital.
In July, the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Health Care Professionals at the hospital rejected a protest concerning the appointment process. The union described the demonstration as premature, arguing that the Federal Government had not yet officially announced the outcome of the selection process.
JOHESU also maintained that every qualified Nigerian, irrespective of state of origin, has the right to seek the position and urged stakeholders to allow the official process to run its course.
Qualifications remain central to selection
The advertised position requires candidates to meet professional and administrative standards, including registration as medical practitioners in Nigeria, substantial post-graduation experience and specialist qualifications in psychiatry. The advertised requirements also include experience as a consultant psychiatrist and evidence of good character and integrity.
The latest appeal therefore places local representation alongside professional competence and merit as issues the Federal Government is being asked to consider.
The groups said they were not asking the government to abandon merit, but rather to ensure that qualified Cross River candidates are not overlooked in the final decision.
A sensitive appointment with wider implications
The contest for the leadership of the Calabar hospital has become part of a wider conversation about federal appointments, regional representation and the application of the Federal Character Principle in Nigeria.
For the Federal Government, the challenge will be to balance the demand for representation with the need to select a candidate with the professional qualifications, leadership experience and institutional capacity required to manage a major federal mental-health facility.
The National Patriotic Front for Tinubu and the CNPP said they remained supportive of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu and appealed to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare to consider their request in the “spirit of justice, fairness and equal opportunity.”
The Federal Government has yet to publicly announce a final substantive Medical Director in the material reviewed for this report.
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