SOUTH-EAST LAWMAKERS DEMAND JAMB BOSS’S RESIGNATION OVER UTME FAILURE, CALL FOR EXAM CANCELLATION
The South-East Caucus in the House of Representatives has issued a scathing rebuke of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), calling for the resignation of Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede over what it described as a “catastrophic institutional failure” during the 2025 UTME. With nearly 380,000 candidates affected by a nationwide technical failure, including thousands in the South-East, the caucus condemned the board’s poor handling of the crisis.
Led by Hon. Igariwey Iduma Enwo (APC, Ebonyi), the lawmakers slammed JAMB’s decision to reschedule exams with less than 48 hours’ notice—clashing with WAEC exams—and said this created confusion, low turnout, and added psychological stress to students. They argued that the chaos not only violated the students’ right to equal educational opportunity but also reflected a deep failure in JAMB’s digital infrastructure.
The caucus called for the outright cancellation of the 2025 UTME and the scheduling of a new examination after ongoing SSCE exams. They also demanded the suspension of key officials in charge of JAMB’s logistics and digital systems. While acknowledging Oloyede’s public admission of fault, the lawmakers insisted that genuine accountability could only begin with his resignation to allow for an impartial probe into what they termed “a national disgrace.”
They cited constitutional provisions guaranteeing equal educational access and accused JAMB of violating this duty, particularly for students in the South-East. The caucus warned that failure to act decisively could erode trust in national education systems and further marginalize already vulnerable regions.
