Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has demanded the immediate resignation of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, following widespread outrage over technical failures in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
At a press conference on Wednesday, Professor Oloyede publicly admitted to the board’s shortcomings and offered an emotional apology to affected candidates. Visibly distressed, the Registrar broke down in tears while addressing the press, acknowledging the distress caused by the examination mishaps.
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His apology, however, has done little to calm growing public anger after the examination errors reportedly contributed to a tragic incident involving the death of a student.
Reacting to the development, Sowore dismissed the apology as insincere and performative.
“The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Oloyede, must take full responsibility for the catastrophic errors that have devastated countless lives and, in one heartbreaking instance, claimed a young life,” Sowore said.
“Shedding crocodile tears does not undo the damage. As a matter of accountability, he must resign immediately. This should be followed by a full-scale investigation and prosecution, including possible charges of manslaughter.”
Sowore further called for a radical overhaul of Nigeria’s tertiary examination system, insisting that JAMB itself has outlived its usefulness.
“JAMB must be scrapped. The system has failed the youth of this country. #RevolutionNow,” he declared.
The 2025 UTME has sparked national controversy, with candidates, parents, and education stakeholders demanding answers amid an unprecedented failure rate and allegations of systemic incompetence.
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