The South East Caucus of the House of Representatives has called for the immediate resignation of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, over what it described as a “catastrophic institutional failure” in the conduct of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a statement issued on Monday, the caucus led by Hon. Igariwey Enwo condemned the technical glitches that disrupted the UTME for nearly 380,000 candidates nationwide, many of whom are now required to resit the exam under tight and poorly communicated conditions.
The lawmakers criticized JAMB’s response as grossly inadequate, citing poor communication, scheduling conflicts with the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), and the short notice given for the rescheduled UTME.
They demanded the immediate cancellation of the current UTME and the scheduling of a fresh examination date, preferably after the conclusion of WAEC and NECO exams, to avoid further disadvantaging affected students.
In addition, the caucus called for the suspension of senior JAMB officials responsible for digital operations and logistics, citing a breakdown in planning and accountability.
“Over the past week, we have exercised restraint, hoping that JAMB would implement meaningful remedial measures,” the caucus stated. “Unfortunately, its response has only deepened public disillusionment and failed to meet the expectations of students and their families.”
“All five states in the South East were directly affected by the so-called ‘score distortions’ and system failures. While we commend Prof. Oloyede for acknowledging the lapses, the corrective steps taken so far fall drastically short of addressing the scale of the problem.”
According to the statement, students were given less than 48 hours’ notice to appear for the rescheduled examination, a move the caucus described as “reckless and inconsiderate,” particularly for those concurrently sitting for WAEC exams. The resulting confusion led to low turnout and further distress for candidates and their families.
“This fire-brigade approach has caused significant harm,” the lawmakers said. “In some instances, students had to choose between sitting for WAEC papers or rescheduled UTME exams a dilemma no student should face.”
The caucus concluded that accountability must go beyond verbal apologies and urged Prof. Oloyede to step down to allow for an independent review of the systemic failures and to restore credibility to the nation’s tertiary entrance examination process.
