Lawmakers fume over JAMB walkout at the National Assembly, describing the Registrar’s absence as disrespectful and a threat to legislative oversight.
The JAMB walkout at the National Assembly on Wednesday has sparked outrage among lawmakers, who condemned the agency’s conduct as a grave act of disrespect toward the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies.
The incident occurred during a budget hearing convened to review JAMB’s 2023–2024 financial performance, remittances to the Federation Account, and implementation of its budgetary allocations.
The session, chaired by Hon. Oboku Oforji, was part of the House’s constitutional oversight duties to ensure accountability in the education sector.
Lawmakers had invited the JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, to appear in person and present the necessary documents. However, he failed to attend and instead delegated a director, Mr. Muftar Bello, to represent him.
Tension escalated when Mr. Bello demanded that members of the press vacate the hearing room, arguing that the documents contained sensitive information. The committee rejected the request, insisting that National Assembly proceedings are public and subject to transparency.
Frustrated by the lawmakers’ refusal to hold a closed-door meeting, the JAMB representative abruptly stood up, ordered his team to leave, and walked out of the session — triggering what has now become known as the JAMB walkout.
Angered by the unexpected walkout, the committee directed the Clerk to call the Sergeant-at-Arms to apprehend the JAMB official. However, the representative and his team had already left the premises.
In his reaction, Committee Chairman Hon. Oboku Oforji described the JAMB walkout as “unfortunate and unacceptable,” accusing the agency of undermining the authority of the legislature.
“We wrote three consecutive letters to the Registrar, but he ignored them,” Oforji said.
“Instead, he sent a former director who accused us of planning to embarrass JAMB. That is an insult to the institution of the National Assembly. Our role is to ensure accountability — not witch-hunting.”
He added that the committee has issued a new directive for the Registrar to appear in person next Tuesday with his management team, warning that failure to comply would attract sanctions under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Other members of the committee expressed outrage at JAMB’s conduct, describing it as contempt of Parliament and an attack on Nigeria’s democratic accountability system.
Hon. Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante, representing Andoni/Opobo–Nkoro Federal Constituency, said the JAMB walkout was “an affront to the Nigerian people.”
“If JAMB can walk out on a committee of the National Assembly, it means the agency no longer sees itself as accountable,” Abiante stated.
“Oversight is a constitutional duty. When a public institution refuses to answer questions on how it spends public funds, Nigerians have every reason to suspect mismanagement.”
He recalled similar scandals involving missing or unremitted government funds, warning that such behavior erodes public trust.
“We’ve heard of cases where animals were blamed for swallowing money. This time, perhaps something bigger has happened,” he quipped.
Hon. Rodney Amboiowei, representing Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State, criticized JAMB’s insistence on a private hearing, calling it an attempt to shield financial dealings from public scrutiny.
“Public funds must be accounted for in the open,” he emphasized.
“JAMB has no right to dictate how Parliament conducts its business. This kind of attitude is what leads to suspicion and public anger. Nigerians deserve transparency.”
Similarly, Hon. Marie Enenimiete Ebikake, who represents Brass–Nembe Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State, questioned the legitimacy of the official who led the delegation, expressing disappointment that the Registrar failed to show up personally.
“It’s embarrassing that the man who walked out was not even the Registrar,” she said.
“We simply asked them to identify themselves, but they refused. For all we know, he could have been impersonating someone. JAMB is a major revenue-generating agency and must be held accountable.”
The committee reaffirmed its commitment to legislative oversight and vowed to ensure that no public agency escapes accountability.
It warned that the National Assembly would use its constitutional powers to compel JAMB’s cooperation and ensure transparency in the management of educational revenues.
Lawmakers emphasized that no institution, regardless of its influence, is above the law or parliamentary authority. The committee’s final warning gives JAMB until Tuesday to comply fully or face legislative action.
The JAMB walkout has since drawn widespread condemnation from civil society groups and education stakeholders, who see it as a test case for the independence and integrity of Nigeria’s legislature.
As the next hearing approaches, all eyes remain on JAMB and its Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, to see whether they will honor the committee’s summons and provide the long-awaited financial explanations.
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