By Adeola Badru

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has strongly criticized the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for its handling of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), describing it as grossly inadequate.

In a statement released on Friday, the NNPP leader in the Southwest, Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, declared that the current officials overseeing JAMB are unfit for their roles.

Reports have surfaced detailing significant discrepancies in examination results, including one case where a candidate’s score dropped from 150 to 120 days after the examination, sparking widespread outrage.

Ajadi condemned JAMB’s mismanagement, stressing that the examination body plays a crucial role for millions of students seeking admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges. He argued that the registrar’s apology does little to ease the suffering of those affected, particularly families of students who reportedly lost their lives due to frustration linked to the examination process.

He called on the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, to investigate JAMB’s operations and hold accountable those responsible for the lapses. He also expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and urged for a thorough review of the issues plaguing the examination body.

Ajadi suggested that decentralizing the matriculation examination could ease the burden on JAMB and improve efficiency. He further emphasized that any rescheduled examinations should allow sufficient time for preparation to avoid repeating past mistakes.

He remarked: “The recent admission of errors by JAMB is an embarrassment to our nation. Their inefficiency has caused immense sorrow for families affected by this situation. The government must take decisive action to address these failures.”