From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The caucus, in a statement by its leader, Idu Igariwey, yesterday, also demanded a total cancellation of the 2025 UTME nationwide and new date fixed for its repeat after the ongoing Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE).

The lawmakers, while expressing concerns that all the five South East states were affected in the technical glitches that marred the exams, also called for the suspension of the  officials in charge of JAMB’s digital operations and logistics.

The 2025 UTME had recorded mass failure, thereby generating outrage. Amid public outcry, Oloyede admitted publicly that the examination in some states, including the five South East states, was marred by technical glitches.

On Sunday, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, called for an independent audit of JAMB’s examination infrastructure.

Though JAMB has rescheduled the examination for candidates in the affected areas, the South East lawmakers, argued that the board’s response was grossly inadequate.

According to them, “JAMB’s knee-jerk and fire brigade approach has been anything but sufficient or desirable. Traumatised students in the Southeastern states, many of who are still taking their WAEC examinations, have been invited in less than 48 hours notice, to present themselves to retake the rescheduled UTME examination.

“Reports indicate that the notice was far too short for most of the students, resulting in low turn out; and in some cases, the rescheduled date clashed with on-going WAEC examination papers. The outcome has been heart wrenching for students and parents, and agonisingly shambolic, to say the very least.

“We call for a total cancellation of the 2025 UTME examinations, and a new date fixed for the same across the country. Indeed, only yesterday, the Association of Tutorial School Operators advised that, ‘The UTME should be moved to July/August, after the completion of WAEC and NECO examinations, to ensure that no prospective candidate is disadvantaged.’ We consider this very brilliant and compelling advice.

“It is obvious that apologies, platitudes and public relations campaigns, are not enough in addressing the far-reaching and gargantuan implications of the national embarrassment that attended JAMB’s conduct of the 2025 UTME examination.

“To this end, we call for the immediate suspension of those at the commanding heights of JAMB’s digital operations and examination logistics. The Registrar of JAMB is said to be a good man, but then, leadership must carry consequences.

“We, therefore, call on the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, to do the needful, by resigning his appointment, to pave way for a thorough examination and remediation of the root causes of this national shame. That is the way to go in any civilised democracy, and we expect no less.”