The South-East Senate Caucus has raised alarm over the recent Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination disruption in parts of Lagos and across the South-East, describing the incident as “curious, suspicious, and potentially sinister.”
In a statement issued Saturday in Abuja by the caucus chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), the lawmakers attributed the incident to what they called “the injection of hateful politics and narrow, parochial considerations” into national policy design and execution.
They warned that the glitch, which affected several examination centres and disrupted the futures of hundreds of candidates, must not be viewed lightly, stating that such failures “erode public confidence and threaten national unity.”
While acknowledging the efforts by JAMB to address the situation, including the rescheduling of affected exams, the caucus emphasized that it would be unacceptable for a similar situation to reoccur.
The senators also noted the public apology and emotional display of remorse by JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, saying they welcomed the contrition but hoped it was not a smokescreen for deeper issues.
“We appreciate the show of regret from JAMB’s leadership, especially the registrar. However, we hope this penitence is genuine and not a calculated move to obscure a dangerous agenda that could jeopardize the educational progress of our children,” Abaribe said.
He added that the scale and regional concentration of the glitch — particularly its occurrence across the entire South-East — raised critical concerns.
“The fact that the entire South-East was affected cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence. It raises fundamental questions that JAMB must urgently answer to reassure our people, especially the children directly impacted by this debacle,” Abaribe stated.
He cautioned that any attempt to politicize education or marginalize any region through subtle policy manipulation would only undermine national development and unity.
“Education is a universal right and the bedrock of any progressive society. It must never be subjected to political gamesmanship. Every Nigerian child, regardless of their region, deserves equal access to quality education. We must pursue a truly national agenda — not one driven by narrow ethnic or political interests,” he said.
The South-East senators concluded by demanding concrete assurances from JAMB and other relevant agencies that such a scandal would not happen again.
“We are under immense pressure from our constituents and we demand an unambiguous commitment from JAMB that this kind of failure will not recur. Anything less is unacceptable,” the statement read.