Alleged N2bn Fraud: Right Group Exonerates JAMB Boss of Wrongdoing

Following the allegation of N2 billion fraud levelled against the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Isiaq Oloyede, by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), a group, the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET), has described the allegation as false.

The Executive Secretary of the group, Ikpa Isaac, while addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, said the petition against Professor Oloyede signed by several ASUU officials including 49 lecturers of the University of Ilorin who were sacked for embarking on an illegal strike in 2001 when Oloyede was the institution’s Vice Chancellor showed that it was self-serving.

It noted that while it clearly supports the anti-corruption fight of President Muhammadu Buhari, the anti-corruption war must however not be trivialised or subjected to ridicule by being converted to a tool for settling personal scores, committing institutional blackmail or for extorting undeserved concessions.

According to him, “We further have it on good authority that the union members are not comfortable with the reforms already being initiated by Professor Oloyede at JAMB since these changes would deprive some corrupt lecturers of the money they would have made from admission racketeering.

Isaac stated: “The petition to the EFCC is therefore part of a wider plan to get rid of Oloyede and reverse the gains that the Board has made. If the reforms he is implementing at the examination body are disrupted then the future of tertiary education in the country is in jeopardy. For us it would be a sad situation if unionists from a few universities can deprive other universities, polytechnics and colleges of education the opportunity to get quality candidates just for their own selfish gains.

“To the extent that all the allegations that ASUU and its officials have made against Professor Oloyede have been found to be false, malicious and mischievous we are calling on the union to without further delays tender an unreserved apology to the man,” he stressed.

The group noted that it was on record that the board has been firm about the admission processes since the new registrar came on board, adding that JAMB has also taken a tough stance against the questionable courses that some lecturers have introduced without the necessary approvals.

It emphasised that instead of maligning Oloyede for his exemplary qualities, the ASUU unionists would do well to emulate him and become better persons that can contribute to the nation in meaningful ways.