A civil society organisation, Human Rights Watch Foundation Nigeria, has pushed back against calls for the resignation of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, following the technical glitches that disrupted the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The group was responding to a demand made by the South-East Caucus of the House of Representatives, which urged Professor Oloyede to step down over the disruption, which affected thousands of candidates, particularly from the South-East region.
In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by its Vice President, Tijjani Sarki, the foundation described the lawmakers’ call as “premature, unfair, and politically motivated.”
“Yes, the technical failures during the 2025 UTME were deeply unfortunate, with undeniable consequences for thousands of young Nigerians,” the statement acknowledged. “But calling for Professor Oloyede’s head is, quite frankly, a misguided overreach.”
“Selective Outrage” and Political Bias
Sarki questioned why similar resignations were never demanded in more severe national crises involving other top officials and agencies.
“Where was this righteous indignation during the electoral irregularities under INEC? Or the questionable monetary policies of the Central Bank? What about the frequent national grid failures, unexplained fuel hikes under NNPCL, or even budget padding scandals in the National Assembly?” he asked.
“Not once were these agency heads or lawmakers asked to resign. So why single out JAMB and its registrar, a man who has led widespread reforms in the agency?”
Support for Accountability, Not Scapegoating
The group lauded Professor Oloyede’s response to the technical failure, noting his public apology and decision to offer free retakes to over 400,000 affected candidates.
“That is leadership. He took full responsibility and responded swiftly. Unlike many public officials, he did not hide behind bureaucracy,” Sarki said.
While supporting disciplinary action against any JAMB staff directly responsible for the failure, the group cautioned against what it termed the “scapegoating of reformers.”
“We support a thorough, transparent investigation. Anyone found culpable should be held accountable. But we must avoid a dangerous precedent where those working to clean up broken systems are the first to be punished for any setback,” he added.
Background
The South-East Caucus of the House of Representatives had earlier demanded that the 2025 UTME be cancelled entirely, citing widespread system failures that reportedly affected large numbers of candidates in the region. They also called for the resignation of Professor Oloyede, accusing JAMB of negligence and mismanagement.
However, the Human Rights Watch Foundation sees the move as driven more by regional politics and inconsistency, rather than a balanced call for accountability.
Bottom Line:
The debate over JAMB’s 2025 UTME failure continues to stir controversy. While many agree that accountability is essential, voices like the Human Rights Watch Foundation urge a fair, unbiased approach — one that doesn’t punish reformers while ignoring deeper institutional failures across the board.
