Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has commended the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, for his accountability in admitting errors in the recently concluded 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The JAMB Registrar on Wednesday acknowledged technical errors that affected at least 379,997 candidates, following nationwide outrage over mass failures recorded in the examination. Oloyede, who reportedly broke down while apologizing to candidates during a press briefing, faced calls for his resignation from some Nigerians.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Obi described Oloyede's "open admission of fault and the expression of deep remorse" as "a rare but commendable display of accountability in our public institutions."

However, the Labour Party's former presidential candidate expressed concern about the broader implications of the incident, stating that 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 noted.

He emphasized the serious consequences of such errors, pointing out the "emotional and psychological toll on students, and even parents, some of whom have reportedly suffered severe trauma, and in heartbreaking cases, even death."

Looking forward, Obi called for JAMB and similar institutions to "adopt comprehensive quality assurance frameworks" including "rigorous testing and constant auditing of technical infrastructure." He also stressed the importance of transparent communication with candidates and stakeholders to restore public confidence.

"There must be no room for further glitches – not in JAMB, not in any arm of government. The cost of repeated failure is simply too high," Obi concluded.

The JAMB controversy has sparked widespread debate about the reliability of Nigeria's examination systems and the accountability of public institutions, with various stakeholders weighing in on the appropriate response to the admitted errors.