Human rights lawyer and legal counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has alleged that the mass failure in the 2025 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination was a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise candidates from the Southeast and Lagos State.
Ejiofor claimed that the regions, which consistently produce high numbers of university applicants, were disproportionately affected by widespread technical glitches during the examination.
The five Southeast states are Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Imo, and Ebonyi.
In a statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday, Ejiofor claimed the pattern of failure and reported disruptions at various centres proved a systematic bias targeting candidates from these areas.
JAMB had acknowledged lapses in its examination process, including malfunctioning computer systems and errors in score processing, which led to widespread complaints among candidates and parents nationwide.
It was reported that JAMB received a formal request from John Nwobodo & Associates, a law firm, demanding the release of the 2025 UTME questions and answers for over 1.5 million candidates who scored below 200.
The request followed concerns over the examination’s unprecedented failure rate, which saw more than 70% of candidates scoring under the pass mark of 200.
The law firm, which stated that it represented 1,534,654 candidates, raised concerns about potential discrepancies in the results, suggesting a possible malfunction in JAMB’s software.
In his statement, Ejiofor lamented that the Southeast and Lagos states were affected by the ‘technical issues’.
The lawyer said, “While commendable strides have been made under the leadership of the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, particularly in promoting transparency and operational reform, the recent controversies surrounding the 2025 UTME results and the acknowledged technical glitches reveal a more disturbing reality: a systemic dysfunction that continues to produce avoidable casualties.”
He said, “This pattern raises troubling questions. It seems less of a coincidence and more of a deliberate act of regional disenfranchisement, especially when viewed against the backdrop of growing political intolerance and exclusionary tactics.”
“When access to higher education, one of the last hopes for equity, is tampered with, it strikes at the heart of national cohesion,” he warned.
“This is not merely a JAMB issue; it is a national emergency.”
Ejiofor, however, suggested that these challenges reflect a deeper malaise in Nigeria’s governance framework.
“What we are witnessing is symptomatic of a broader institutional decay – one where inefficiency, corruption, and negligence have become normalised across the three arms of Government and beyond,” he said.
He also denounced what he termed “authoritarian tendencies,” cautioning that moves to control the narrative and silence dissent could deepen Nigeria’s democratic challenges.
He said, “The foundations of public service are crumbling under the weight of impunity and weak accountability mechanisms.
“More troubling is the rising tide of authoritarian tendencies, where proponents of one-party dominance seek to muzzle dissent and sanitise failure with propaganda.
“But no nation can thrive by silencing truth or stifling reformist voices.”
Ejiofor called for systemic reform, stating, “This is a clarion call: the era of superficial fixes must end. Nigeria desperately needs a comprehensive overhaul of its institutions – not just to salvage public trust but to secure a future worth believing in.”
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