By Divine Sam
Former presidential aide Laolu Akande has urged Nigerians to rally behind the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, over recent errors in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, Akande praised Oloyede’s transparency and accountability, emphasizing that the JAMB boss should be supported for his integrity and reform efforts rather than attacked.
Earlier in the week, Prof. Oloyede openly acknowledged at a press briefing in Abuja that there were technical glitches during the conduct of the 2025 UTME, an admission that has triggered mixed reactions from the public, with some calling for his resignation.
Akande, however, noted that the Registrar’s boldness in accepting responsibility is rare in Nigerian public service and should be commended.
“There is widespread examination malpractice in the system, including cases where parents pay impersonators to write exams for their children. This is a deeply rooted problem, and Oloyede is actively fighting against it,” Akande stated.
He cautioned Nigerians not to let those resisting the reforms undermine the ongoing efforts by JAMB and the Federal Ministry of Education. “We must not allow those benefiting from malpractice to hijack the narrative. Oloyede is spearheading important changes, and he needs encouragement,” Akande said.
Following public outcry over unusually low scores and alleged irregularities in this year’s UTME, JAMB initiated a review and confirmed that errors occurred in the conduct of the exam. Oloyede revealed that 379,997 candidates who were affected by the technical issues would have the opportunity to retake the examination starting May 16, 2025.
JAMB further clarified that the glitches were traced to 157 of the 887 exam centres nationwide.
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