The South-East Senate Caucus has raised strong concerns over the recent technical disruptions that marred the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in multiple centers across Lagos and the entire South-East region.
The senators described the failure as “curious” and “suspicious,” warning that it could undermine both national unity and trust in Nigeria’s educational system.
In a statement released on Saturday in Abuja, Chairman of the caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, criticized the disruption, which forced the rescheduling of exams for thousands of students. While acknowledging the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) public apology and efforts to manage the situation, the lawmakers argued that the glitch raises troubling questions about systemic fairness.
“The so-called glitch—as curious and suspicious as it were—is enough to erode confidence and dangerously lower national pride among the future generation,” Abaribe stated.
Despite JAMB Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede’s assurances, the caucus expressed skepticism, warning that dismissing the incident as a mere coincidence risks ignoring deeper issues.
“It would be disheartening—and we hope not to contemplate such a conspiracy theory—that there is a narrow agenda being pursued to deliberately shortchange and harm the future of our children,” Abaribe added.
The lawmakers emphasized that the concentration of the disruptions in the South-East region calls for a more thorough investigation. They cautioned that ignoring such anomalies could fuel regional distrust and damage national cohesion.
“The fact that the glitch occurred across the entire South-East is a red flag that must be addressed with transparency by JAMB to calm growing frustrations and fears in the region, especially among the directly affected students,” the statement said.
Underscoring the role of education as a cornerstone of development, the caucus warned that any act—intentional or otherwise—that compromises academic opportunities is unacceptable.
“Education remains one of the most important bedrocks of any society’s advancement. Every child is entitled to it; therefore, we must not play roulette with it,” they affirmed.
Senator Abaribe urged JAMB and other educational authorities to take proactive steps to prevent future occurrences, assuring the public that the South-East Senate Caucus remains vigilant and committed to defending the rights and future of students in the region.
