The management of Edo State-owned Ambrose Alli University (AAU), has commended the favourable government policy initiated by Governor Monday Okpebholo which it said has repositioned the institution as against what obtained in the past. 

The university management spoke through its Head of Corporate Communication, Mr. Mike Aladenika, during a thank you visit to journalists in Benin City for their solidarity and support for the institution.

According to Aladenika, Ambrose Ali University is rising again due to efficient management of the Governing Council appointed by Governor Okpobholo.

In a related development, 39 medical graduating students of AAU are urgently seeking Governor Monday Okpebholo and the Minister of Health’s intervention with respect to delayed induction.

Despite reportedly completing their course of studies, the students said they been inexplicably denied induction, leaving them with an uncertain future.

An open letter addressed to the State Government and the Minister of Health, titled “Urgent Appeal for the Induction of Qualified Medical Doctors from Ambrose Alli University,” highlighted the plight of the students.

Meanwhile, speaking on the dilapidated structures in the tertiary institution, AAU’s Head of Corporate Communication, Mr. Mike Aladenika, pointed out that it is not in the place of government to bring in engineers to renovate the structure but the role of the university management.

He advised that the university management should be allowed to renovate the buildings as it falls within their modus operandi.

Aladenika revealed that the position of principal officers have been declared vacant and are urging those with the prerequisite qualifications to apply for the various positions as advertised by the Governing Council.  

He added that with the governing council on board, the school environment is peaceful as students and lecturers are all carrying out their teaching and learning activities in a friendly environment.

Meanwhile, in open letter addressed to the State Government and the Minister of Health, signed by Abu Ibrahim, Bawal Mohammed Awal, and Daniel Igbafe on behalf of the affected students, the letter expressed their exhaustion, demoralization, and desperation for swift intervention.

With no clear path forward, the student added that after dedicating nine years of their lives to rigorous medical training, enduring challenges, sacrifices and financial burdens, they deserve to move forward without further bottle necks.

The students have also accused the university management of devising unconscionable plans to induct them alongside their juniors in the profession who are yet to be graduates and currently sitting for their 500-level part III MBBS examination in Paediatrics, Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Community Medicine.

They wondered why the decisions, despite the 39 of them not repeating students, who have been reportedly issued statements of results by the governing council are still waiting to be inducted.

According to them, their hopes have been completely dashed after witnessing their classmates inducted with no reason given by the authorities over their being left out.

They also stressed that at a time when Nigeria faces shortage of healthcare professionals, it is unbelievable how they have been kept away due to administrative bottlenecks, adding they are eager to contribute their quotas to the healthcare space in the country’s overstretched operations.

“As students we are now pinning our hopes on the governor’s intervention to resolve our induction delays”, the students noted.

Reacting to the students’ claims, Principal Assistant Registrar and Head of Information/Public Relations and Protocol, Ambrose Alli University, Mike Aladenika, said the claims being propagated by some students of July 2025 induction date were misleading.

He emphasized that 40 students could not pass their initial final year exams as the school had to organise a make-up examination for them.

Admittedly, he said, out of the 40 students who participated in the make-up examination, one failed, adding that the school is only awaiting a set date by the medical council to complete the induction of the 39 students that passed the make-up examination.

Notably, Aladenika said Governor Monday Okpebholo has previously demonstrated his commitment to students’ welfare by securing the induction of 128 medical graduates from AAU, who had been delayed since August 2024.