The South East Caucus of the House of Representatives has demanded the immediate resignation of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, following what it described as a “monumental failure” in the conduct of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, the caucus, led by Rt. Hon. Igariwey Iduma Enwo, lambasted the examination body for the widespread technical hitches that disrupted the examination process for nearly 380,000 candidates. They noted that the five states in the South East bore a disproportionate share of the failure.
The lawmakers criticized the Board’s handling of the crisis, pointing to inadequate communication, overlapping exam schedules with the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), and the extremely short notice given to affected students for the rescheduled test.
“On May 14, 2025, Professor Ishaq Oloyede publicly admitted that due to serious technical malfunctions at several exam centres, over 379,997 of the 1.9 million candidates would have to retake the 2025 UTME,” the statement read in part. “All five South East states recorded significant disruptions and inconsistencies in candidates’ scores.”
The caucus expressed disappointment that despite this unprecedented failure, JAMB had not implemented satisfactory corrective measures, instead leaving students and their families distressed and disadvantaged.
Recall, at the weekend the south east Senators caucus expressed similar dismay at claims by JAMB of a glitch in the conduct of the UTME in the region.
Senators from the region had warned against these claims becoming cover up fr a sinister intention against the future of children from the southeast.
On their parts, their colleagues in the House of Representtives said, “We have deliberately withheld comments over the past week, hoping for a responsible and transparent resolution from JAMB. Instead, what we have witnessed is an uncoordinated response lacking both empathy and accountability,” the caucus added.
They called for an outright cancellation of the 2025 UTME and proposed a new date that would not conflict with WAEC or NECO examinations. Furthermore, they demanded the immediate suspension of senior JAMB officials responsible for digital infrastructure and logistics.
While commending Oloyede for acknowledging the failure, the lawmakers stressed that meaningful accountability must follow. They argued that his resignation would pave the way for an independent investigation and help rebuild public confidence in the integrity of the examination process.
The statement also referenced the constitutional responsibility of government agencies to ensure equal access to quality education. The lawmakers accused JAMB of violating this principle through its mishandling of the UTME.
“JAMB’s reaction has been reactionary and deeply flawed. In several instances, students currently sitting for their WAEC exams were given less than 48 hours’ notice to take the rescheduled UTME, leading to clashes in examination schedules, poor attendance, and further confusion,” the statement continued.
The caucus concluded by citing Section 18(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates the government to provide equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels. “This is no longer an aspirational goal, it is an enforceable right,” they stated. “By its actions, JAMB has effectively denied thousands of students in the South East this constitutional guarantee.”
