The South East Senate Caucus has raised alarm over what it described as a “curious and highly suspicious” technical glitch that marred the recent Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in parts of Lagos and across the entire South East region.
In a statement issued Saturday in Abuja, the Caucus Chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, expressed deep concern, warning that any perceived agenda to marginalize the region’s students would be strongly resisted.
“It would be disheartening—though we hope not to contemplate such a theory—to consider that a narrow agenda is being pursued to deliberately shortchange and endanger the future of our children,” Abaribe stated.
The caucus, after carefully reviewing reports of the disruption, acknowledged with cautious optimism the efforts made to mitigate the situation, including the prompt rescheduling of affected exams. However, the senators insisted that any recurrence of such an incident would be entirely unacceptable.
Senator Abaribe also commended the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), particularly its Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, for acknowledging the fault and issuing a public apology, which he described as timely and necessary.
Nevertheless, he warned that such displays of regret should not serve as a smokescreen for any covert intentions aimed at sabotaging the educational prospects of South East youths.
“The so-called glitch—curious and suspicious as it is—is enough to erode public confidence and dangerously diminish national pride among the next generation,” Abaribe warned.
He emphasized the dangers of politicizing education or allowing parochial interests to dictate national policy and implementation.
“That the glitch occurred across the entire South East raises pertinent questions that JAMB must answer to address the mounting frustration and anxiety in the region, particularly among the directly affected students,” the statement added. “We must pursue a Nigerian agenda, not a narrow one that threatens national unity.”
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Senator Abaribe stressed that education is a foundational pillar of societal development and must be protected at all costs. “Every child is entitled to quality education. We must not gamble with their future,” he asserted.
Consequently, the South East Senate Caucus is calling for firm assurances from JAMB and other relevant authorities that such a scandalous failure will not reoccur.
