An Abuja-based lawyer, Chukwuma Nwachukwu, has filed a formal request under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to compel the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to release the names and scores of the top ten performers in the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Naijaonpoint reports that this action comes after JAMB’s decision to withhold specific details about its highest scorers in the recently announced results.
In his demand, Nwachukwu insisted that JAMB provide this information within seven days, citing the provisions of the FOI, which ensure public access to information held by government bodies.
The lawyer argued that the examination body’s failure to disclose the top performers contradicts transparency, especially considering that a comprehensive breakdown of the overall examination results was already made public on April 29.
The lawyer’s letter specifically requested that JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, furnish details, including “The names and scores of the 10 best students and their respective performances in the above examination.”
Highlighting the legal backing for his request, Nwachukwu’s letter reads: “The above application is made under the provisions of Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 which provides that the right of any person to access or request information is not contingent upon demonstrating any specific interest in the information sought.”
He further warned that compliance with this request is mandatory under the FOI, noting that failure to respond appropriately could lead to legal action to enforce compliance.
Additionally, Nwachukwu expressed his willingness to pay any necessary fees associated with this request.
This legal challenge surfaces amidst revelations by JAMB that a significant portion of the candidates scored below the average mark, with over 73.7% of the 1,904,189 participants scored less than 200 points.
Furthermore, JAMB disclosed that the results of 64,624 candidates were withheld pending further investigation.
The examination body also noted a significant 36.2% increase in enrollment among Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs), underscoring a broad spectrum of participation in this year’s UTME.