An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has strongly condemned calls for the resignation of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, describing them as “callous, ridiculous, and unpatriotic.”
The group was reacting to recent demands made by the South East caucus of the House of Representatives and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) branch, for the embattled JAMB boss to step aside over the technical hitches experienced during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
MURIC made its position known on Friday, 23rd May, 2025, in a statement signed by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
“The South East caucus of the House of Representatives this week called for the resignation of the embattled registrar of JAMB over the examination glitches which occurred in some parts of the country,” the statement began, citing media reports.
“A similar move was made by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), UNN branch, which also threatened to sue JAMB,” it added.
MURIC described the calls as not only unjustifiable but also driven by narrow ethnic sentiments, lacking objectivity and critical reasoning.
“MURIC finds these calls callous, ridiculous and unpatriotic. They are also parochial, myopic and condescending. It smirks of ethnic buccaneering and suffers from intellectual poverty,” the statement said.
The organization hailed Professor Oloyede’s tenure at JAMB as revolutionary, noting that under his leadership, the institution has become one of the most transparent and financially accountable government agencies in Nigeria.
“Whereas JAMB had been a consuming and wasteful institution in the pre-Oloyede days, the incumbent has turned the institution around, refunding billions to the coffers of the Federal Government annually,” MURIC stated.
It referenced several reports indicating that JAMB, under Oloyede, remitted N3.51 billion in 2021, over N2 billion in 2023, and more than N6 billion in 2024. In contrast, the board returned only N52 million cumulatively over 40 years prior to his appointment.
“This year, Professor Oloyede even requested that JAMB be excluded from federal budgetary allocations, citing sufficient internally generated revenue to cover its functions,” Akintola noted.
MURIC questioned the rationale behind targeting a high-performing public servant, warning that such actions could discourage excellence and integrity in public office.
“Is this the man the South East caucus wants to resign? Is this how we treat our heroes? How many government agencies have returned money to the government in this manner?”
The group alleged that the attacks were part of a broader scheme to undermine integrity and promote mediocrity.
“This is an attempt to demonise transparency while idolising corruption. They want to sacrifice excellence on the altar of mediocrity. Who did this to Nigeria?” the statement queried.
MURIC urged Professor Oloyede to remain steadfast and ignore what it described as “rantings of institutionalized kleptomaniacs, political shenanigans, academic charlatans, and ethnic demagogues.”
“Our message to Oloyede is this: ‘Strive on in the glorious path which you have chosen. Ignore detractors, the envious and sworn enemies. They desire to rubbish you in order to justify their waywardness. Resignation will send the wrong signal to good Nigerians who consider you their model. Aluta continua, Victoria ascerta.’”
The organization called on well-meaning Nigerians to rally in support of public servants who exemplify integrity and performance.
