…Committee gives Registrar till Tuesday to appear or face sanctions
There was an unexpected turn of events at Nigeria’s National Assembly on Wednesday when the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) staged a walkout on the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education Examination Bodies.
Chaired by Hon. Oboku Oforji, the Committee convened to examine JAMB’s 2023–2024 financial performance. This included its internally generated revenue, remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, and bank transactions from 2023 to date.
Lawmakers disclosed that the committee sent three consecutive letters to JAMB on October 6, 17, and 23, 2025. They requested the documents and the personal appearance of the Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.
However, instead of honouring the invitation, the Registrar sent a Director, Mufutau Bello, to represent him.
Committee Stands Firm as JAMB Representatives Walk Out
A moment of tension occurred when Bello insisted that journalists vacate the room, citing the sensitive nature of the documents he intended to present.
The Committee refused, maintaining that its proceedings were public and constitutionally empowered to determine how its sittings were conducted.
However, the JAMB representative directed his team to leave and walked out of the session, an action that took members of the Committee by surprise.
Responding to the walkout, the Committee ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to detain the JAMB officials, but they had already left the premises.
Committee Chairman, Hon. Oforji described the incident as “unfortunate and unacceptable”. He warned that the legislature would not tolerate acts of disrespect or attempts to undermine its oversight authority.
“We wrote three consecutive letters to the Registrar requesting these documents. Instead of appearing, he sent a former Director who accused us of trying to embarrass JAMB. That is very unfortunate,” Oforji said.
He emphasized that the Committee’s mandate is to promote transparency and accountability in the management of public funds. He noted that oversight guides its actions, not punitive intent.
“Our duty is to ensure every agency under our watch is accountable to Nigerians,” Oforji added.
House Committee Sets Tuesday Deadline for JAMB Registrar
The Committee has now given JAMB till Tuesday for the Registrar to appear in person with his management team and present all the requested documents.
“Failure to do so,” Oforji warned, “will compel the Committee to invoke its powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
Reps React to JAMB walkout on House Committee
Speaking to Journalists after the meeting, Members of the Committee criticized JAMB’s action, describing it as a contempt of Parliament and a slap on democratic accountability.
Hon. Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante said the JAMB walkout on House Committee signaled a dangerous disregard for legislative authority.
“If JAMB can walk out on a National Assembly committee, it means they no longer see themselves as accountable to Nigerians. Oversight is not a favour it’s a constitutional duty,” he said.
Abiante hinted at possible financial irregularities, recalling previous controversies involving missing public funds.
“We’ve heard stories where money was swallowed by snakes. Maybe this time, a bigger creature has done the swallowing,” he said.
It will be recalled that in 2018, an accountability case drew national attention after a JAMB clerical officer claimed that a snake swallowed over thirty million Naira in her custody.
Hon. Rodney Amboiowei faulted the agency’s attempt to bar the press, insisting that public funds must be publicly accounted for.
“No agency has the right to dictate how Parliament conducts its business. Nigerians deserve to know how their money is spent,” he said.
Additionally, Hon. Marie Enenimiete Ebikake expressed shock that the person leading the delegation was not even the Registrar.
“We don’t know who this man is. He refused to identify himself. For all we know, he could have been impersonating someone else. The Registrar must appear by Tuesday to explain what JAMB is doing with public funds,” she stated.
The Committee warned JAMB that any further disregard would attract parliamentary sanctions, as it adjourned the session to Tuesday, November 4, 2025.