By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
Tension flared at the National Assembly on Wednesday as a delegation from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), walked out of a House of Representatives hearing after lawmakers refused to hold the session behind closed doors.
The team, led by Director Mufutau Bello, left the meeting convened by the House Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies, which was reviewing JAMB’s 2023/2024 budget performance.
Committee Chairman, Hon. Oboku Oforji (PDP-Bayelsa), condemned the walkout as “unfortunate and unacceptable,” warning that the National Assembly would not tolerate any attempt to undermine its oversight powers.
He disclosed that JAMB’s Registrar had ignored three prior invitations to appear with detailed financial records, prompting a fresh seven-day ultimatum for compliance.
Other lawmakers, including Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante (PDP-Rivers) and Hon. Rodney Ambaiowei (PDP-Bayelsa), criticized JAMB’s insistence on excluding journalists, stressing that transparency demands public accountability.
The committee has rescheduled the session for Tuesday, warning that failure of the Registrar to appear could trigger constitutional sanctions.
