The Human Rights Watch Foundation, Nigeria, has strongly criticised calls for the resignation of Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), following the technical failures that affected the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a statement issued on Wednesday, May 21, and signed by the group’s Vice President, Tijjani Sarki, the organisation described the demand made by the South-East Caucus of the House of Representatives as “premature, unfair” and rooted in “selective outrage and political grandstanding.”
“Yes, the technical failures during the 2025 UTME were deeply unfortunate, with undeniable consequences for thousands of young Nigerians, particularly those in the South-East,” the statement read.
“But while these setbacks demand swift investigation and accountability, calling for Professor Oloyede’s head is not the answer. It is, quite frankly, a misguided overreach.”
Sarki questioned the consistency of lawmakers in their reactions to institutional failures, pointing out that officials from other public institutions with more serious issues had not been asked to resign.
“We must ask, where was this righteous indignation when other institutions faced far worse scandals? From the repeated electoral chaos overseen by INEC, to the opaque policies at the CBN, the chronic collapses of our national grid, the unexplained fuel price hikes under NNPCL, and even the unresolved allegations of budget padding in the National Assembly, none of these triggered calls for mass resignations,” he said.
READ ALSO: South East Reps Call for Oloyede’s Resignation Over JAMB Glitches
“Not once was the CBN Governor, INEC Chairman, NNPCL GMD, Minister of Power, or the leadership of the National Assembly asked to step down.
“So why single out JAMB? Why target a registrar internationally recognised for transforming an institution once riddled with inefficiency into a beacon of reform and transparency?”
Sarki commended Oloyede for taking full responsibility and initiating free retakes for nearly 400,000 candidates affected by the glitches, arguing that this was a sign of integrity rather than failure.
“Unlike many, Professor Oloyede has taken full responsibility for the glitch. He has not hidden behind bureaucracy,” he said.
While supporting disciplinary action against any JAMB official found guilty, the group cautioned against using the situation to discredit reform-minded public officers.
“We firmly support the suspension of any JAMB official found to have contributed to the breakdown. A full-scale, transparent investigation must follow, and those found culpable must be held accountable without fear or favour.
“But let us not set a dangerous precedent where scapegoating replaces sound judgment, and genuine reformers are punished for isolated technical lapses while chronic failures in other sectors are swept under the carpet,” Sarki said.
“Nigeria needs courageous leadership, one that holds all public officers to the same standard, not just those bold enough to reform.”
The South-East Caucus of the House of Representatives had earlier demanded the cancellation of the 2025 UTME and the immediate resignation of the JAMB Registrar over the examination’s technical flaws.