Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
As the dust generated by the mass failure in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, is yet to settle, South-East Caucus in the House of Representatives has demanded the resignation of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, over what it described as a “catastrophic institutional failure.”
The caucus also called for the outright cancellation of the exam which recorded mass failure following a human error especially in the South-East centres.
Leader of the caucus, Hon. Igariwey Enwo, in a statement on Monday, lambasted JAMB for the alleged technical glitches that accounted for the mass failure.
South-East Senate caucus led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, had also last week, said the technical glitch in the centres in the zone raised suspicion whether it was an act of sabotage.
The lawmakers expressed serious concern that South-East was the worst hit in the incident.
The Reps caucus also criticized JAMB over its recent response to the mass failure, describing it as “grossly inadequate.”
It also cited “poor communication, scheduling conflicts with ongoing WAEC examinations, and short notice for the resit,” saying that it triggered undue trauma among the affected candidates.
The statement reads in part: “Last week, particularly on May 14, 2025, the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, publicly admitted that due to a ‘technical glitch’ at some exam centres during the 2025 UTME, approximately 379,997 out of 1.9 million candidates would be required to resit the exam.
“As a caucus, we are deeply concerned, as all five South Eastern states we represent were directly affected by these so-called ‘score distortions.’
“Over the past week, we have exercised restraint, hoping JAMB would provide effective remedial measures to address this catastrophic institutional failure—one that has severely shaken public trust and the confidence of students and families nationwide.”
The caucus called for the immediate cancellation of the 2025 UTME and setting a new date, preferably after the WAEC and NECO exams, to avoid disadvantaging students.
It also demanded the suspension of key officials responsible for JAMB’s digital operations and logistics.
“While acknowledging Oloyede’s public admission of the failure, the lawmakers emphasized that accountability must go beyond apologies. They said his resignation would allow for an independent review of the failure and help restore public confidence in the examination body.
“The caucus reminded JAMB of its constitutional duty to guarantee equal and adequate educational opportunities for all Nigerian children—a responsibility they say was clearly violated in this instance.
“While we acknowledge Professor Oloyede’s openness in admitting JAMB’s failures, we must state unequivocally that the remedial steps taken so far fall drastically short of our constituents’ expectations.
“JAMB’s knee-jerk, fire-brigade approach has been anything but adequate. Students in the South-East—many of whom are currently writing their WAEC exams—were given less than 48 hours’ notice to appear for the rescheduled UTME. Reports indicate this was grossly inadequate, leading to low turnout. In some cases, the rescheduled UTME clashed directly with ongoing WAEC papers, compounding distress for students and families.
“We remind Nigerians that JAMB, as a government agency, is duty-bound to uphold fundamental obligations to its citizens. Section 18(1) of the 1999 Constitution states: ‘Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.
“Recent judicial rulings now make this an enforceable right for every Nigerian child. Sadly, for thousands of students in the South East, the flawed and tainted conduct of the 2025 UTME has effectively denied them that right.”
