A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to forthwith to relist Dr. Sunday O Elusoji’s name in the register of medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria.

The court also ordered the MDCN to communicate forthwith, the relisting of Dr. Elusoji’s name in the register of medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo State Ministry of Health, Benin and the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja.

It equally declared that, In line with Section 16 (4) & (7) of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (MDPA) and the judgment and order of the Court of Appeal in CA/ABJ/CR/115/2022 which set aside the April 8, 2021 direction of the Medical and Dental Disciplinary Tribunal (MDDT), Dr. Elusoji is free to practice as a medical practitioner in the country.

The court further declared that in line with Section 16 (4) & (7) of the MDPA and the Court of Appeal judgment, the six months suspension from medical practice handed Dr. Elusoji by the Appeal Court in its October 27, 2022 judgment, expired on October 8, 2021.

Justice Obioma Egwuatu issued the orders and declarations in a judgment delivered on April 10, 2025 in a suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1130/2023 filed by Dr. Elusoji against the Chairman, Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal (MDPDT) and the MDCN.

Justice held that as against the claim by the Chairman of the MDPDT (listed as the sole respondent in the appeal court judgment) no valid appeal was pending at the Supreme Court against the October 27, 2022 judgment of the Court of Appeal.

The suit before the Federal High Court was filed by Dr. Elusoji, through his lawyer, Ikechukwu Emery, following the failure of the MDCN to comply with the Court of Appeal, Abuja delivered on October 27, 2022 in the appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CR/115/2022 which set aside the direction (decision) of the MDPDT issued on April 8, 2021.

Dr. Elusoji, a Consultant Surgeon and a professor at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Edo State, was, sometime in 2021 convicted by the MDPDT.

The MDPDT had his name struck off its register for allegedly conducting himself infamously while attending to one Mr. Uwa Osagie at his private health facility Our Medical Centre (a.k.a Our Hospital) at No. 2, Jemila Road, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City.

Upon an appeal, the Court of Appeal, in its judgment of October 27, 2022 set aside the sentence the MDPDT imposed on Dr. Elusoji and instead, ordered that he (Dr. Elusoj’) be suspended from practice as a medical practitioner for a period of six months with effect from the date of the MDPDT’s decision – April 8, 2021.

Following the Court of Appeal judgment, Dr. Elusoji communicated the appellate’s decision to the MDCN, demanding among others, that his name be relisted, a request the MDCN failed to comply with, prompting him to file the suit before the Federal High Court. (The Nation)