South-east reps demand JAMB registrar’s resignation, fresh 2025 UTME

The south-east caucus in the house of representatives has demanded the resignation of Ishaq Oloyede, registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The lawmakers also called for the cancellation of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The caucus said a new UTME for 2025 should be conducted between July and August.

BACKGROUND

The results from JAMB’s 2025 UTME were released on May 9.

A breakdown showed that more than 78 per cent of candidates scored less than 200 points out of the 400 maximum points obtainable.

This spurred protests that questioned the overall integrity of the examination process.

JAMB undertook an early review and uncovered a major “technical error”.

Last Wednesday, Oloyede, during a press conference in Abuja, said the results of 379,997 candidates were affected.

He said the board discovered discrepancies linked to faulty server updates in its Lagos and south-east zones, which led to the failure to upload candidates’ responses during the first three days of the examination.

Oloyede said the problem, which was caused by one of the two technical service providers for the exercise, went undetected before the results were released.

He said affected candidates can now retake the examination between May 16 and May 19, 2025.

The development has sparked mixed reactions, with Nigerians airing their views across social media platforms.

The house of representatives has resolved to probe the examination body over the alleged technical error.

‘SOUTH-EAST MOST AFFEECTED’

In a statement issued on Monday, the lawmakers said the five south-east states were “directly impacted” by the “score distortions”.

“Over the week, we have shown restraint and waited for JAMB’s remedial measures in addressing what is clearly a disastrous and catastrophic institutional failure that has shaken the trust and confidence of students and families across the country,” the statement reads.  

“While we appreciate the fact that instead of concealing or obfuscating, professor Oloyede has come out to admit JAMB’s failure, we state most unequivocally that what JAMB has offered in remediation falls far short of the expectations of our impacted constituents. 

“Indeed, JAMB’s knee-jerk and fire-brigade approach has neither been sufficient nor desirable.

“Traumatised students in the south eastern states, many of whom are still taking their WAEC examinations, have been invited with less than 48 hours’ notice to present themselves to retake the rescheduled UTME examination.”

The lawmakers said the notice to the candidates was “far too short” for most of the students, resulting in low turnout. In some cases, the rescheduled date was said to have clashed with ongoing WAEC. 

“The outcome has been heart-wrenching for students and parents, and agonisingly shambolic, to say the very least,” the legislators said.  

“However, for the thousands of students across the five south eastern states of Nigeria, the tainted and flawed outcome of the 2025 UTME examination has clearly stripped and denied them of any equal and adequate educational opportunities.

“As a result of the above reasons and many more, we call for a total cancellation of the 2025 UTME examinations, and a new date fixed for same across the country.

“To this end, we call for the immediate suspension of those at the commanding heights of JAMB’s digital operations and examination logistics.

“The Registrar of JAMB is said to be a good man, but leadership must have consequences. We, therefore, call on the registrar of JAMB, professor Ishaq Oloyede, to do the needful, by resigning his appointment, to pave way for a thorough examination and remediation of the root causes of this national shame.

“That is the way to go in any civilised democracy, and we expect no less.”

The statement was signed by Igariwey Enwo, leader of the south-south caucus in the lower legislative chamber.