The South East Caucus in the House of Representatives has called for the resignation of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, following widespread technical failures during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a strongly worded statement issued Monday, the caucus, led by Hon. Igariwey Enwo, condemned what it described as a “catastrophic institutional failure” after nearly 380,000 candidates were directed to retake the exam due to technical glitches. The lawmakers stressed that all five states in the South East were among the worst affected.
“On May 14, 2025, Prof. Oloyede admitted that about 379,997 candidates would have to retake the UTME due to score distortions caused by technical issues. As representatives of the South East, we are alarmed by the scale of this failure and its disproportionate impact on our region,” the statement read.
The caucus criticized JAMB’s handling of the situation, describing it as chaotic and insensitive. They cited inadequate communication, rushed rescheduling, and clashes with ongoing WAEC examinations as major concerns. Many students reportedly received less than 48 hours’ notice to resit the exam, with some rescheduled sessions conflicting with their WAEC papers.
“These failures have caused needless trauma for students and their families. JAMB’s response has been inadequate and reactive, not proactive or student-centered,” the lawmakers said.
They called for:
- Immediate cancellation of the 2025 UTME;
- A new examination date to be set after the conclusion of WAEC and NECO exams;
- Suspension of officials responsible for JAMB’s digital and logistics operations;
- And the resignation of Prof. Oloyede to allow for an independent investigation and restore credibility to the examination body.
While acknowledging Oloyede’s openness in admitting the system malfunction, the lawmakers insisted that true accountability requires more than an apology.
“The integrity of the UTME has been compromised, and the public’s trust in JAMB has been severely eroded. The only responsible course of action is for the Registrar to step down,” the statement added.
Citing Section 18(1) of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates the government to provide equal and adequate educational opportunities, the caucus argued that this constitutional right was effectively denied to thousands of affected candidates.
The South East Caucus concluded by urging the federal government to treat the crisis as a national emergency and ensure that all Nigerian students, regardless of region, are given a fair and equitable chance in their academic pursuits.
