A total of 39 medical graduates from Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State, have called on Governor Monday Okpebholo to intervene in the prolonged delay of their induction into the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), a crucial step required for them to begin their medical practice.
In an open letter to the state government and the Minister of Health, representatives of the affected graduates—Abu Ibrahim, Bawal Mohammed Awal, and Daniel Igbafe—expressed their frustration over the situation.
They stated that after spending nine years in rigorous medical training and making significant sacrifices, they now face uncertainty due to bureaucratic challenges.
The graduates strongly opposed the university’s plan to induct them alongside their juniors, who are still in their final-year examinations for pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, and community medicine.
According to them, they are not repeat students and have already received official statements of results from the university’s governing council, confirming their eligibility for induction.
This issue arises months after a similar situation was resolved through Governor Okpebholo’s intervention, which led to the induction of 128 medical graduates in February 2025. The remaining 39 graduates lamented that despite this progress, they were excluded without any clear reason.
Reacting to the concerns, AAU’s Principal Assistant Registrar and Head of Information/Public Relations and Protocol, Mike Aladenika, denied allegations that the university was deliberately delaying the process. He clarified that the affected students had to retake a final-year examination after failing their first attempt.
“The notion that the university is intentionally delaying their induction is misleading. A make-up exam was conducted for 40 students, and only one failed. We are now awaiting the Medical Council’s date for their induction,” he stated.
The Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Dr. Dongo Andrew, also addressed the issue, explaining that the university exceeded MDCN’s approved quota of 50 students.
“We graduated 167 students and would want to induct them; it was a major crisis,” he said, adding that the MDCN approved two separate induction ceremonies—one in February 2025 for the first batch of 128 graduates and another in July 2025 for the remaining 39.
The medical graduates stressed the urgency of their induction, citing Nigeria’s shortage of healthcare professionals. They urged Governor Okpebholo to facilitate the process to prevent further delays in their medical careers.
