Obi Reacts to JAMB Glitches, Warns Against Turning System Failures into National Crisis

Former presidential candidate and Labour Party leader, Peter Obi, has reacted to the recent technical failures reported by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), cautioning that such systemic lapses must not be allowed to evolve into a national crisis.

In a statement released on Thursday, Obi responded to JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede’s recent press briefing, where he admitted that technical glitches had affected the results of 379,997 candidates in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Obi praised the registrar’s honesty and remorse but stressed the deeper issue: the fragility of Nigeria’s institutional systems.

“I recently watched the heartfelt press conference delivered by the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, in which he acknowledged that technical glitches had affected the recently released JAMB results, impacting 379,997 candidates. His open admission of fault and deep remorse stand out as a rare but commendable display of accountability in our public institutions.

“But it raises a very concerning issue on glitches and the grave havoc it’s creating in our country, even in critical institutions like JAMB.

“While JAMB’s swift response and willingness to own up to its shortcomings are worthy of recognition, the incident has brought to light a far more troubling reality: the persistent fragility of our institutional systems,” Obi stated.

He expressed concern over the emotional and psychological toll on affected candidates and their families, noting reports of severe trauma and, in tragic cases, death.

“The emotional and psychological toll on students, and even parents, some of whom have reportedly suffered severe trauma, and in heartbreaking cases, even death, serves as a reminder of what is at stake.

“The integrity of examination processes and the reliability of public institutions are not optional; they are foundational to any nation’s progress,” Obi added.

Calling for urgent reforms, he urged JAMB and other critical institutions to implement robust quality assurance mechanisms, conduct regular infrastructure audits, and maintain transparent communication with the public.

“There must be no room for further glitches, not in JAMB, not in any arm of government. The cost of repeated failure is too high,” he warned.

Obi concluded his message with a call for renewed national commitment to institutional excellence, emphasising, “A new Nigeria is POssible.”