B, NNPC
A South-West chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has criticized the management of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) over the poor handling of this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), saying they are unfit to occupy their current positions.
Recall that there were reports of a candidate who initially scored 150 in the UTME but, after checking again following public outcry, discovered his score had been reduced to 120.
Also, in Odogunyan, Ikorodu area of Lagos State, a 19-year-old girl named Faith allegedly took her own life by ingesting poison. She had scored 190 and could not understand why, despite her tireless preparation.
However, on Wednesday, JAMB acknowledged discrepancies in the results of some candidates who took the 2025 UTME. JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, addressed the issue, apologized for the errors, and took full responsibility. He announced that candidates from 157 out of 882 examination centers would be given an opportunity to retake the test, with the rescheduled exams starting on Friday, 16th May 2025.
In a statement on Friday, Ajadi condemned the poor conduct of the examination, which serves as the only gateway for millions of students seeking admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
Ajadi said the Registrar’s apology cannot undo the damage, especially for families who have lost loved ones and for millions of students whose futures are now uncertain. He also criticized the short notice given for the resit exams, arguing that it does not allow students enough time to adequately prepare.
He called on the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, to launch a thorough investigation into JAMB’s activities, stressing that those found culpable should be held accountable.
According to the statement:
“The recent admission of errors by JAMB in the conduct of this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is a national embarrassment. Through its inefficiency, JAMB has caused grief for families who lost loved ones out of frustration arising from the exam’s mismanagement.
“While I sympathize with the affected families and millions of students whose futures have been jeopardized, I urge the government to get to the root of the matter. The government should also consider decentralizing the conduct of matriculation examinations in the country, as it appears JAMB is overwhelmed.
“The resit examination should not be rushed. JAMB must allow adequate time for preparation to prevent similar mistakes in the future.”
