Labour Party national leader, Peter Obi, has commended the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for admitting to error in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) which impacted 379,997 candidates.
At a press conference on Wednesday, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, broke down in tears as he addressed the issue.
Fighting back emotions, the JAMB registrar announced that 379,997 out of over 1.9 million candidates who sat for the examination would retake it.
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This decision followed numerous complaints from candidates and stakeholders about technical glitches, unusual low scores, and alleged irregularities during the UTME.
Prof. Oloyede, visibly emotional and intermittently wiping his face with a handkerchief, said, “I take full responsibility for the negligence of our staff.”
He further revealed that candidates in 65 centres in Lagos and 92 centres in the Owerri Zone, which cover the five states in the South-East, would be required to rewrite the examination.
However, reacting to the development, Peter Obi posting via X on Thursday commended JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, for his open admission of fault and expression of remorse, but noted that the incident highlights the persistent fragility of Nigeria’s institutional systems, which can have severe consequences.
“The emotional and psychological toll on students and parents has been significant, with some reportedly suffering trauma and even death,” he said.
Obi stressed that the integrity of examination processes and reliability of public institutions are foundational to national progress.
He emphasised the need for comprehensive quality assurance frameworks, rigorous testing, and transparent communication to prevent future glitches.
According to Obi, there must be no room for further glitches in JAMB or any arm of government, as the cost of repeated failure is too high.
He urged critical institutions to prioritise reform and accountability to maintain public trust and ensure the country’s progress.
“Going forward, JAMB and similar critical bodies must adopt comprehensive quality assurance frameworks. This includes rigorous testing and constant auditing of technical infrastructure. Moreover, transparent communication with candidates and stakeholders, coupled with the prompt resolution of arising issues, is essential to restoring public confidence.
There must be no room for further glitches – not in JAMB, not in any arm of government. The cost of repeated failure is simply too high.”
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IntelRegion reports that JAMB released the 2025 UTME results, disclosing that over 1.5 million candidates scored below 200 in the entry examination, a development which triggered reactions from stakeholders, including parents and candidates.
According to statistical analysis of the results, out of the 1,955,069 candidates who sat the examination, only 420,415 candidates scored higher than 200, which by implication, means that more than 1.5 million scored below 200 — the threshold more public universities accept for admissions into some courses.