The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has apologised to the House of Representatives over the unruly conduct of a senior Board official during a budget-scrutiny hearing on November 16, 2025.
Prof. Oloyede tendered the apology when he appeared before the House Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies to submit documents previously requested by lawmakers. This was his first engagement with the committee since an incident in October that drew widespread criticism from members of the House.
The controversy began when Mr. Mufutau Bello, a JAMB Director representing the Registrar at the prior hearing, walked out after unsuccessfully attempting to compel journalists to leave the venue. Bello insisted that the documents he had brought were sensitive, but the committee maintained that its proceedings were public and constitutionally guided. Rather than comply, he ordered his team to leave and exited the hall abruptly, shocking lawmakers present.
Addressing the committee, Prof. Oloyede distanced the Board from the director’s conduct, stressing his deep respect for the National Assembly. He assured lawmakers that such behaviour would not recur and confirmed that all outstanding documents demanded by the committee had been submitted. “I have enormous respect for the Parliament,” Oloyede said. “I would never do anything, or allow anything under my watch, that undermines its authority.”
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Oboku Oforji, condemned the director’s behaviour, describing it as an affront to the legislature and contrary to the level of cooperation expected from government agencies. He reminded the Board that Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution empower the National Assembly to conduct investigations and exercise oversight over ministries, departments, and agencies.
Hon. Oforji added that the committee’s inquiry followed a House resolution passed on May 15, 2025, in response to complaints arising from the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The probe includes reviewing JAMB’s budget implementation, internally generated revenue from 2023 to date, remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, and the agency’s bank statements.
The lawmaker emphasised that the review is not a witch-hunt but a constitutional obligation aimed at enhancing transparency and strengthening the conduct of national examinations. He urged JAMB and other agencies to cooperate fully, noting that effective oversight is necessary for public accountability.
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