A final audit of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) resit results for 379,775 candidates is currently underway, ahead of their public release on Thursday, The PUNCH has learned.
The review process, led by a team comprising officials from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), civil society organizations, academics, and independent observers, follows the recently concluded rescheduled UTME.
A source familiar with the process, who spoke anonymously, confirmed the audit shortly after JAMB held a press briefing announcing the completion of the resit exams.
Although JAMB spokesman, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, had previously stated the results would be released on Wednesday, findings by The PUNCH revealed the audit is the reason for the delay.
New Mop-Up Exam Announced
On Wednesday, JAMB also announced a new round of mop-up examinations to accommodate candidates who missed the rescheduled exam—whether due to technical issues or absence.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said the initiative would ensure fairness and opportunity for all affected candidates.
“This time, we are creating a new mop-up. Even those who missed the earlier exam due to absence will get another opportunity,” Oloyede explained. “In any serious system, when students miss an exam, they’re allowed to make up—provided there’s no abuse.”
He emphasized that the UTME is not a measure of intelligence but a placement test designed to rank candidates for limited university admission slots.
Responding to Criticism
Oloyede also addressed public concerns and growing conspiracy theories about the integrity of the process, rejecting any ethnic or political motivations behind the challenges faced.
“I take responsibility—not because I failed, but because that’s what leadership demands,” he said. “We must rise above ethnic profiling and focus on improving the system.”
He praised both candidates and staff for their perseverance, noting that logistical constraints and limited infrastructure created significant hurdles.
“We knew if we spent too long grieving the challenges, more students would lose opportunities,” he said.
Lawmakers Divided Over Oloyede’s Role
While the South-East Caucus of the House of Representatives has demanded the resignation of Prof. Oloyede, citing what it termed a “catastrophic institutional failure,” their counterparts from the South-West have come to his defense.
The South-East lawmakers argue that their region was disproportionately affected by the glitch, citing poor communication, overlaps with WAEC exams, and insufficient notice for the resit.
“We are deeply concerned as all five South-Eastern states we represent were directly affected by these score distortions,” the caucus said in a statement signed by Hon. Iduma Igariwey (PDP, Ebonyi).
They called for the suspension of JAMB officials responsible for digital operations and logistics and described the board’s response as inadequate.
However, South-West lawmakers have countered these demands, calling them excessive and politically motivated.
Hon. Oluwole Oke, a five-term lawmaker and Chairman of the House Public Accounts Committee, described Oloyede as “too clean” to be accused of orchestrating the glitch.
“Yes, something went wrong under his watch, but he took full responsibility and apologized. What more do we expect?” Oke told The PUNCH.
Hon. Wale Raji (APC, Lagos) echoed this view, stating that Lagos State was also severely affected but that Oloyede had demonstrated rare accountability.
“The Registrar did the uncommon in Nigerian public service by admitting fault and arranging a resit. That should be commended, not condemned,” Raji said.
Efforts to get a response from the South-West Caucus Chairman, Hon. James Faleke, were unsuccessful as of press time.
JAMB has assured the public that the mop-up examination will be scheduled soon and that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure transparency, fairness, and improved service delivery in future UTME exercises.
