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By Tracy Moses
There was a dramatic twist at the National Assembly on Wednesday when officials of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) abruptly walked out on members of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies during an oversight session.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is Nigeria’s foremost tertiary education examination body responsible for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Over the years, the agency has been lauded for reforms under its Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, which reportedly led to increased revenue remittances to the Federal Government.
However, recent concerns have emerged within the National Assembly regarding discrepancies in the Board’s revenue and remittance records. Lawmakers are seeking clarity on how much JAMB actually generates annually and the proportion remitted to the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
The Committee, chaired by Hon. Oboku Oforji, had summoned the examination body to appear before it for the scrutiny of JAMB’s 2023–2024 budget performance, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) utilization, and remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF). Lawmakers also requested the agency’s detailed bank statements covering the same period.
According to Hon. Oforji, the Committee had written three separate letters to JAMB on October 6, 17, and 23, 2025, inviting the Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, to personally appear and present the documents. However, instead of honouring the invitation, the Registrar sent a representative, Mr. Mufutau Bello, a Director at the Board.
Tension flared when Bello demanded that journalists vacate the hearing room, claiming that the financial documents he was about to present contained “classified information.”
The Committee, however, overruled the request, insisting that its proceedings were public and that legislative business involving public funds must be conducted in the open.
What followed shocked everyone in attendance. Bello reportedly became agitated, ordered his team to pack up, and led them out of the session, effectively walking out on the Committee.
Lawmakers reacted furiously, branding the action a “disgraceful affront” to the National Assembly. Chairman Oforji immediately directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to apprehend the fleeing officials, but they had already exited the complex.
In his remarks, Oforji condemned the development as “rude, unacceptable, and an assault on parliamentary authority,” warning that such conduct would not go unpunished.
“We sent three official correspondences to the JAMB Registrar, yet he failed to appear. Instead, he sent someone who not only disrespected the Committee but also disrupted proceedings. This is totally unacceptable,” he said.
He emphasized that the oversight function of the legislature was not meant to embarrass any institution but to ensure accountability and transparency in public administration.
“Our responsibility is to safeguard the interests of Nigerians and ensure that public funds are judiciously managed,” he added.
The Committee consequently issued a fresh directive summoning Prof. Oloyede to appear in person before lawmakers on Tuesday, along with all relevant financial records.
“Failure to comply,” Oforji warned, “will leave the Committee with no choice but to exercise its powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
Speaking to journalists after the abrupt end of the session, several lawmakers condemned JAMB’s conduct, describing it as a contempt of Parliament and a threat to democratic oversight.
Hon. Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante described the walkout as a “dangerous precedent” that undermines legislative authority.
“If JAMB can walk out on a committee of the National Assembly, then no agency is safe from lawlessness. Oversight is not optional; it is a constitutional mandate,” Abiante declared.
He also hinted at possible financial discrepancies, recalling past controversies involving misappropriation of funds within government agencies.
“We once heard about money being swallowed by snakes, maybe something even bigger has happened this time,” he said pointedly.
Similarly, Hon. Rodney Amboiowei faulted JAMB’s attempt to exclude the press from the proceedings, insisting that transparency was non-negotiable.
“No agency has the power to dictate the conduct of legislative sessions. Nigerians have a right to know how their funds are managed,” he stated.
Hon. Marie Enenimiete Ebikake also expressed concern that the delegation leader was not the Registrar himself, describing the situation as “suspicious and evasive.”
“We are not even sure who this man is. He refused to properly introduce himself. The Registrar must appear personally on Tuesday to account for public funds entrusted to JAMB,” she asserted.
The Committee adjourned its sitting till Tuesday, warning that any further defiance from JAMB would attract strict parliamentary sanctions.