The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) branch, has threatened to take legal action against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) over the widespread failure recorded in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Speaking at a press briefing in Nsukka on Wednesday, ASUU-UNN Chairman, Dr. Óyibo Eze, alleged that the poor performance—particularly among candidates from the South East—was a deliberate move by JAMB to limit university admission opportunities for children in the region.
“My office has been overwhelmed with protests, phone calls, and visits from distressed parents and concerned citizens over what is clearly a targeted attempt to deny South East candidates admission through massive failure in the 2025 UTME,” he said.
Dr. Eze demanded that JAMB review the results and award candidates their “merited scores,” warning that ASUU would file a lawsuit in the High Court if the board failed to act.
“Everyone knows that students from the South East are required to score significantly higher to secure admission, while candidates from other parts of the country can gain admission into top programs like medicine with scores as low as 120,” he added.
He pointed out that of the 1,955,069 candidates who sat for the 2025 UTME, more than 1.5 million scored below 200—with many of them from the South East and Lagos, where a large Igbo population resides.
Eze urged South East governors to speak up and challenge what he described as an injustice that could jeopardize the educational future of their youth.
“I’m not against punishing candidates found guilty of exam malpractice,” he said, “but using isolated cases as justification to penalize entire exam centres is unacceptable.”
He cited the University Secondary School, Nsukka, as an example, noting that no student from the school scored up to 200 in the UTME, despite the school’s strong academic record.
“These students are known for academic excellence. It’s hard to believe that all of them performed poorly without systemic error or bias,” he stated.
Dr. Eze called on JAMB to urgently address the issue, warning that failure to do so could escalate into a national crisis or mass protests.
“This is no longer just a regional concern; it has become a national matter that demands immediate action,” he concluded.