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Reps Summon JAMB Registrar After Officials’ Walkout

Published

3 weeks ago

October 29, 2025

A tense encounter unfolded at the National Assembly on Wednesday as officials of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board walked out of a session convened by the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies.

The Committee, led by Bayelsa lawmaker, Oboku Oforji, had summoned the examination body to account for its 2023–2024 budget performance, internally generated revenue remittances, and other financial operations, including bank statements and evidence of transfers to the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

In Nigeria, it is not uncommon for public agencies to ignore invitations from National Assembly committees, a development that often leads to conflicts between the legislature and executive branches. This pattern of non-compliance undermines the parliament’s oversight role, weakens accountability, and signals a troubling disregard for the legislature’s constitutional authority.

Often, agency heads treat summonses as optional, behaving as if they are not answerable to lawmakers. Many appear to rely on political connections or affiliations with the ruling party, assuming that little will be done if they fail to comply.

Executive officials sometimes push back, arguing that repeated or seemingly unnecessary summonses disrupt their work.

A common workaround is for agency heads to send junior representatives in their place. However, lawmakers frequently reject this, insisting on direct engagement with the leaders themselves to ensure transparency and accountability.

Ultimately, these recurring clashes highlight a broader struggle: balancing the legislature’s constitutional duty to oversee public institutions with the practical challenges faced by agencies and private-sector actors.

At the hearing on Wednesday, the Committee noted that JAMB was formally invited in three separate letters dated October 6, 17, and 23, 2025, requesting the personal appearance of Registrar Prof Ishaq Oloyede and submission of the relevant documents. Instead of attending in person, Prof. Oloyede sent a representative, Director Mufutau Bello.

Tension escalated when Bello demanded that National Assembly-accredited journalists leave the room, arguing that the documents contained sensitive financial information. The lawmakers refused, stating that the proceedings were public and that the Committee, not JAMB, had the authority to set the terms of the session.

Agitated by the insistence, Bello ordered his team to exit, leaving the lawmakers shocked. The Committee immediately instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to detain the JAMB officials, only to find that they had already left the premises.

Describing the walkout as “Unacceptable and disrespectful,” Oforji emphasised that the Committee’s mandate is to ensure transparency and accountability, not to embarrass any agency.

“We sent three formal requests to the Registrar. Instead of complying, he sent a representative who accused us of trying to embarrass JAMB. That is unfortunate and cannot be tolerated,” he said.

Consequently, the Committee gave Prof Oloyede until Tuesday, November 4, 2025, to appear in person with his management team and provide all requested documents. Failure to comply, the Committee warned, could trigger enforcement actions under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Several lawmakers condemned JAMB’s action as a contemptuous disregard for parliamentary oversight.

Abiante said the walkout demonstrated a troubling lack of accountability.

“Oversight is not a favour; it is a constitutional responsibility. If JAMB can ignore the National Assembly, it raises serious concerns about how public funds are managed,” Abiante said, alluding wryly to past controversies involving missing public money.

On his part, Rodney Ambaiowei criticised the agency’s attempt to exclude the press, stressing that the public has a right to know how government funds are spent.

“No agency can dictate how parliament operates. Transparency is not optional when it comes to public resources,” he said.

Also speaking, Rivers lawmaker, Marie Ebikake, expressed surprise that the Registrar did not attend the hearing, noting that the identity of the representative was unclear.

“We do not even know who led the delegation. The Registrar must appear on Tuesday to clarify JAMB’s management of public funds,” she said.

The Committee adjourned the session until next Tuesday, warning that any further defiance by the examination body would invite strict parliamentary sanctions.

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IPF Holds Annual Ijaw Media Conference December

Published

10 hours ago

November 19, 2025

Editor

The Ijaw Publishers’ Forum has announced the second edition of its annual Ijaw Media Conference.

The conference themed “Safeguarding Oil and Gas Natural Resources for Future Generations in the Niger Delta” will take place on December 11, 2025, at KFT Place, beginning at 12 noon.

In a statement signed by the IPF National President, Comrade Ozobo Austin, the Forum noted that the conference is intended to strengthen public understanding of the dangers of oil theft, unchecked exploitation, and environmental pollution.

The statement highlighted the severe harm these practices inflict on the region, affecting both ecological systems and human communities and hindering long-term development.

The 2025 planning committee, chaired by Arex Akemotubo, has Tare Magbei as Secretary. The committee is charged with the responsibility of a successful programme.

Other members of the committee are:
Francis Abai, Financial Secretary while
Ezekiel Kagbala, Sunday Daniel; Mike Ugedi, Dr Kegbe, Sam Dogitimi,
Tam Okumbiri, serve as members.

The Forum urged leaders, stakeholders, and young people to work with relevant authorities and security groups to support continued public awareness efforts aimed at protecting the region’s natural resources and the wellbeing of its inhabitants.

The IPF also called for sponsorship and invites all stakeholders and the wider public to attend the conference on December 11, 2025

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2027: Era Of ‘Ghost’ Voters Over, Says INEC Chairman

Published

17 hours ago

November 18, 2025

Editor

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, has declared that identity theft and multiple voting, which have plagued Nigeria’s elections for decades, have been effectively eliminated following the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS.

Amupitan made the declaration in Abuja at the 2025 Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibitions organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Dayo Oketola, the INEC Chairman said BVAS had now become a decisive tool in protecting the integrity of votes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Represented by a National Commissioner, May Agbamuche Mbu, the INEC Chairman said the era of identity fraud in Nigeria’s elections is over, noting that BVAS has evolved into a foolproof verification mechanism at polling units across the country.

“The BVAS device has become our frontline defence against identity fraud, ensuring that only the rightful and eligible voter can be accredited at the polling unit..

“With the biometric safeguards now in place, voter impersonation has been effectively eliminated from our electoral system,” he stated.

He backed the claim with data from the recently concluded Anambra Governorship Election, where 6,879 BVAS devices deployed for the exercise recorded what he described as a highly commendable performance.

According to him, more than 99 percent of polling unit results were uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing portal on the same day as voting.

“These outcomes confirm that the deployment of BVAS and IReV is no longer experimental but an entrenched part of Nigeria’s electoral architecture. The figure announced at the polling units is the same figure visible to the public. Technology has safeguarded the vote,” he said.

Amupitan also stressed the importance of the legal backing now enjoyed by the Commission’s technological tools.

He explained that while earlier innovations lacked statutory enforcement, the Electoral Act 2022, particularly Section 47 subsection 2, transformed digital devices from administrative guidelines into what he described as statutorily protected pillars of the electoral system.

“This legislative foundation ensures that our digital tools have both operational and legal legitimacy. It has strengthened public trust and enabled the Commission to innovate with confidence,” he added.

Despite the progress, the INEC Chairman admitted that connectivity gaps remain a major challenge.

He said the country’s 176,846 polling units, many of which are located in swamps, mountains, and remote communities, make real-time transmission of results one of the most difficult tasks during elections.

He, however, ruled out any possibility of returning to manual accreditation, which he described as vulnerable to human interference and a threat to electoral credibility.

Amupitan maintained that the era of ghost voters in Nigeria is over, insisting that the Commission is committed to transparent, verifiable, and credible elections.

“The gains we have recorded are too significant to reverse. The Commission will continue to strengthen the system and upgrade to more seamless solutions in future elections,” he said.

“Our mission is simple. Every eligible voter must be accurately verified. Every vote must be properly counted. Every result must be transparently shared. Technology has helped us to secure these foundations of democracy.”

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JUST IN: Wike, Govs Makinde, Bala Mohammed Clash At PDP Secretariat

Published

18 hours ago

November 18, 2025

Editor

Chaos erupted at Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday as rival factions, led by Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State on one side, and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike on the other, clashed over control of the party’s headquarters amid the ongoing leadership dispute.

According to ARISE, security operatives aligned with both the FCT minister and governors Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed engaged in a chaotic standoff over control of the complex, with teargas reportedly deployed around the premises by both sides.

Governor Makinde stormed the venue alongside the newly elected National Secretary, Taofeek Arapaja, while Nyesom Wike remained with Samuel Anyanwu, the embattled National Secretary who maintains that his tenure remains valid until December 8, 2025.

Party leaders have expressed deep concern over the incident, accusing the police of failing to maintain neutrality amid the ongoing leadership crisis within the opposition party.