The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies has formally apologized to Nigerians over the recent error that disrupted the conduct of the April/May 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Speaking during a world press conference on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Abuja, the Committee’s Deputy Chairman, Hon. Aboku Abonsizibe Oforji, who represents Yenagoa/Opokuma Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State, described the incident as “an avoidable human error” and extended heartfelt sympathy to the affected candidates and their families.
“This is an unprecedented situation in the history of JAMB. We express our deepest sympathy to the students impacted and sincerely apologize to all Nigerians on behalf of JAMB,” Hon. Oforji stated.
He commended JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, for swiftly owning up to the error and apologizing publicly, but stressed that the Committee would pursue accountability and reform.
“We must now demand accountability—not tomorrow, but today. Education is the backbone of our national progress, and we cannot afford another breakdown of this nature,” he said.
Responding to questions from journalists, Hon. Oforji acknowledged that lapses in oversight may have contributed to the error. He confirmed that the Committee has begun preliminary investigations and will intensify oversight across all six geopolitical zones to improve examination monitoring.
“Our findings so far indicate it was a human error—not a system failure or technical malfunction. However, we are committed to ensuring that those responsible are identified and held accountable,” he added.
On suggestions by some lawmakers that the entire UTME should be cancelled, Hon. Oforji said such a decision would depend on the outcome of the investigation. He noted that JAMB had already acted to mitigate the damage by organizing a retake for affected candidates.
“JAMB quickly directed a retake of the compromised exam. That alone indicates there was no malicious intent. We’re investigating the matter thoroughly, and Nigerians can be assured we will do what is right,” he said.
When asked if Nigerians should simply “forgive and forget,” given the emotional and academic impact of the error, Hon. Oforji replied: “We are not asking anyone to forget. What we are doing is apologizing and assuring Nigerians that serious corrective actions are underway.”
He reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to full transparency and promised to provide public updates once investigations are concluded.
“This is a painful episode—one we would never wish on even our fiercest critics. Our thoughts are with the candidates and families affected. We also appreciate Nigerians for their patience and understanding as we work to fix the system,” he concluded.
