Southeast Senate Caucus Raises Alarm Over UTME Glitches, Demands Assurance from JAMB

The Southeast Senate Caucus has raised the alarm over the technical glitches that marred the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in several centres across the region and Lagos State.

A statement on Saturday by Enyinnaya Abaribe, chairman of the caucus, described the disruptions as “curious and highly suspicious,” warning that a recurrence would be unacceptable.

While acknowledging the efforts of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to remedy the situation, including the rescheduling of affected examinations, he said a strong assurance was needed to prevent future occurrences.

“The so-called glitch, as curious and suspicious as it was, is enough to erode confidence and dangerously lower national pride among the future generation,” Abaribe said.

“The relevant national education drivers must recognise the inherent danger of injecting hateful politics and narrow parochial considerations in both policy enunciation and its implementations.”

He lauded JAMB for accepting responsibility and the open apology by its registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, but warned that public displays of regret must not be used to cover deeper issues.

He added that the fact that the glitch occurred across the entire Southeast raised important questions that JAMB must address to ease the growing frustrations and fears among people in the region, especially the children who were directly affected.

“We must pursue a Nigerian agenda and not a narrow one that will ultimately injure national unity.”

Abaribe said education is a critical pillar of national development and must be safeguarded at all costs.

“Education remains one of the most important bedrocks of any society’s advancement. It is one major index of development in every facet of life that can never be faulted,” he said.

“Education is a major pivot that triggers national development. Every child is entitled to it; therefore, we must not play roulette with it.”

He said the Southeast Senate caucus is on high alert and facing pressure from constituents, demanding firm assurances from JAMB and other relevant authorities that such a “scandalous glitch” will not happen again.