The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has vehemently rejected calls for his resignation following controversies surrounding the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), declaring that “truck pushers cannot direct pilots.”
Oloyede’s rebuttal came during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, where he addressed mounting criticism from lawmakers and sections of the public over alleged irregularities in this year’s university entrance exams.
The JAMB boss announced special mop-up examinations for candidates who missed the initial UTME due to genuine reasons, covering about 5.6% of total examinees.
“We are creating a new mop-up. Even those who missed the earlier exam due to absence will be given another opportunity. It’s not extraordinary. In any academic setting, makeup exams are normal,” Oloyede stated.
In a somber moment, the registrar called for a minute of silence to honor 19-year-old Opesusi Timilehin, who reportedly took her life after receiving low UTME scores. “That tragedy broke all of us,” an emotional Oloyede revealed, adding that some parents had falsely claimed their children died to solicit financial assistance.
The Registrar dismissed allegations of ethnic bias in JAMB’s operations, stressing: “People say, ‘Where is he from?’ That never mattered to me. I’ve worked with people based on their competence, not their ethnicity.”
READ MORE: Detectable Human Error Caused JAMB Result Controversy Not Technical Glitch — Educare CEO Onyia
He particularly slammed critics from the Southeast Caucus of the House of Representatives, suggesting they lacked the expertise to evaluate his performance.
While expectations were high for Wednesday’s release of rescheduled exam results, JAMB spokesperson Dr. Fabian Benjamin indicated they would be announced through an official statement.
Oloyede concluded by reaffirming his commitment to transparency, urging stakeholders to avoid politicizing education matters. “Let us not descend to the level of opportunists exploiting challenges for personal or political gain,” he cautioned.
Follow the Parallel Facts channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCQSAoHgZWiDjR3Kn2E
