The South East caucus of the House of Representatives has called for the complete cancellation of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), citing widespread issues.
In a statement issued by its leader, Mr. Igariwey Iduma Enwo, who represents Afikpo North/Afikpo South federal constituency of Ebonyi State, the caucus urged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to schedule a new UTME date nationwide.
The lawmakers also demanded the immediate suspension of top officials overseeing JAMB’s digital operations and examination logistics.
Pressure Mounts on JAMB Registrar
The caucus suggested that the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, should resign, emphasizing that stepping down would uphold the integrity of the institution.
“The Registrar of JAMB is said to be a good man, but then, leadership must carry consequences. We therefore call on 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’s the way to go in any civilised democracy, and we expect no less,” the caucus stated.
The caucus insisted that apologies and damage-control efforts are insufficient to address the credibility concerns surrounding JAMB’s handling of the UTME.
They stressed the need for reforms that would restore public confidence in national examinations.
“Measures must be put in place to ensure Nigerians trust UTME and other national examinations,” the statement added.
Update: Human Error, Not Glitch Responsible
Sharing an update at a press conference on Tuesday on Tuesday, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies, Oboku Oforji, stated that the UTME result crisis was caused by human error and not a technical glitch.
Oforji also expressed sympathy for the candidates affected by the error.
“The committee recognises the courage and sincerity of the JAMB registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, for accepting the fault on behalf of his team and apologising to the parents, candidates, and the nation in general,” he added.
“However, these human errors were avoidable because it was due to negligence by JAMB.
“The committee also appreciates the eagerness and determination of Nigerian students in pursuing their education to improve the future of our country,” he stated.
Speaking further, Oforji pointed out that JAMB’s consistent process throughout the examination process, from registration to the release of results, is commendable despite the“unfortunate” error.
He also called for an “independent and thorough investigation”, disclosing that reforms have been proposed by the committee to the board.
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