JAMB Walks Out on Reps Panel Over Media Presence

A scene unfolded in the National Assembly on Wednesday when the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) abruptly left the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies during an inquiry session.

The incident happened as the Committee, led by Hon. Oboku Oforji, gathered to review JAMB’s budget performance for 2023, its implementation, remittances to the Federation Account, and related banking statements.

The Committee had asked JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, to attend in person and bring the necessary documents.

Instead, the Registrar sent a Director, Mr Muftar Bello, to take his place.

Tensions began to rise shortly after the meeting started. While introductions were ongoing, the JAMB representative insisted that press members leave the meeting, claiming that the documents he was about to present contained “sensitive information”.

The JAMB official became visibly agitated. Suddenly, he stood up, instructed his team to follow him, and left the session, shocking the committee members.

In response to the incident, the committee quickly instructed the clerk to call the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest the JAMB representative, but he had already left the venue.

Regarding the incident, the Committee Chairman, Hon. Oboku Oforji, called the walkout “unfortunate and unacceptable.” He stressed that the legislature would not tolerate disrespect or attempts to obstruct its oversight duties.

“We sent three letters to the Registrar of JAMB asking for these documents. To our surprise, the Registrar did not show up and instead sent a former Director of Finance and Accounts, who claimed that the committee was trying to embarrass them. That is extremely unfortunate,” Oforji said.

He further stated that the committee aimed not to penalise any government agency but to support transparency and accountability in managing public funds.

“Our job is to make sure that all agencies under our jurisdiction answer to Nigerians. We have no intention of unfairly pursuing anyone,” he remarked.

The committee has set a deadline for JAMB, requiring the Registrar to appear in person with his management team by next Tuesday to provide the requested documents.

“Failure to comply will lead the committee to take necessary action under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended,” the chairman warned.

Other committee members voiced their outrage over the situation, labelling JAMB’s behaviour as a clear disregard for the National Assembly and, by extension, for the Nigerian people.

Hon. Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante, representing the Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro federal constituency, stated that the walkout was contempt of Parliament. He termed the event “most unfortunate” and warned that it sets a dangerous precedent for accountability in governance.

“If JAMB can walk out on a committee of the National Assembly, it shows they no longer see themselves as answerable to Nigerians. Oversight is a constitutional duty. When an agency refuses to respond to questions about public funds, the public has every reason to suspect wrongdoing,” Abiante commented.

The lawmaker added that JAMB’s behaviour raised concerns about the transparency of its financial activities, referencing prior disputes over unremitted or missing funds in public sectors.

“We have encountered cases where snakes or similar creatures have swallowed money. Something bigger may have happened, and they were not ready for the investigation. This is unfortunate. If this is what we call democracy, I find it hard to see our path forward. We have institutions that refuse to be accountable to other branches of government, especially one that must ensure public resources are managed properly,” he stated.

Hon. Rodney Amboiowei, representing the Southern Ijaw federal constituency in Bayelsa State, also criticised JAMB’s request for a private session, claiming it contradicts the transparency expected from public institutions.

“Public finances must be openly disclosed. It is not JAMB’s right to insist that a parliamentary meeting be held behind closed doors. This behaviour can create issues between agencies and lawmakers. Nigerians deserve to know how their funds are used,” he declared.

Hon. Marie Enenimiete Ebikake, from the Brass-Nembe Federal Constituency of Bayelsa, expressed concern about the identity of the JAMB official who led the delegation, showing frustration that the Registrar did not attend the hearing in person.

She stressed that, as a key revenue-generating body, JAMB must be accountable for its finances and operations, indicating that the committee expected the Registrar to be present at the next session.

“It’s even more concerning that the person who left was not the Registrar. We don’t even know who he is. We simply asked him to introduce himself, and he refused. For all we know, he might have been impersonating someone else. Nigerians need to understand how JAMB is managing their funds. The Registrar must be here before this committee by Tuesday to explain,” Ebikake said.