There was a mild drama at the National Assembly on Wednesday after representatives of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) abruptly walked out of a session with the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies.
The session, held at the National Assembly complex, took an unexpected turn when JAMB’s representative, Director Mufutau Bello, who stood in for Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, insisted that journalists leave the meeting room before he presented certain documents, claiming they contained sensitive information.
However, members of the Committee rejected his request, maintaining that their proceedings were public and that the Constitution empowered them to determine how sittings were conducted.
The disagreement quickly escalated as Bello, appearing visibly displeased, instructed his team to leave the venue, walking out on the lawmakers in protest. The sudden exit left members of the Committee stunned.
READ ALSO: JAMB Grants Exceptional Admission to 85 Underage Candidates
In response, the Committee directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest the JAMB officials for contempt of the parliament, but they had already vacated the premises before enforcement could be made.
Following the incident, the Committee issued a fresh directive summoning JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede to appear in person before the panel with his management team on or before Tuesday next week.
Lawmakers warned that failure to comply with the order could compel the Committee to issue a warrant of arrest against the JAMB boss.