Drama as JAMB officials walk out on reps after rejecting open budget hearing

Tension flared at the national assembly complex on Wednesdaywhen officials of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) walkedout on the house of representatives committee on basic education examinationbodies. The committee held the meeting to look over JAMB’s budget,check how it has used its own money, confirm payments to the consolidatedrevenue fund, and review its bank statements from 2023 until now. During the session, Obuku Oforji, chairman of the committee,said the panel had written several letters to JAMB on October 6, 17, and 23,respectively, requesting the submission of specific documents and the personalappearance of Ishaq Oloyede, the registrar. However, Mufutau Bello, a director in the registrar’soffice, represented Oloyede at the hearing. Bello later asked journalists to leave the room, arguingthat the documents he intended to present contained sensitive information. The committee declined the request, saying the hearing wouldnot be held behind closed doors. Displeased by the committee’s stance, Bello paraded his teamand vacated the hearing room. The committee chair ordered the sergeant-at-arms to arrestthe JAMB officials, but they left before he could do so. Oforji condemned the action of the JAMB, describing it asunacceptable. “We wrote three consecutive letters to the registrarrequesting these documents; instead of appearing, he sent a director whoaccused us of trying to embarrass JAMB. That is very unfortunate,” Oforji said. “Our duty is to ensure every agency under our watch isaccountable to Nigerians,” he added. Speaking with journalists after the incident, Awaji-InombekAbiante, a member of the committee, said legislators would not tolerateunaccountability. “If JAMB can walk out on a national assembly committee, itmeans they no longer see themselves as accountable to Nigerians. Oversight isnot a favour; it’s a constitutional duty,” he said. “We’ve heard stories where snakes swallowed money. Maybethis time, a bigger creature has done the swallowing.” Rodney Amboiowei, another member of the committee, said noagency has the authority to dictate how parliament conducts its business. “Nigerians deserve to know how their money is spent,” hesaid. Subsequently, the committee adjourned the session to nextTuesday and directed the JAMB registrar to appear in person. Oforji said that if the JAMB registrar fails to appear, anarrest warrant will be issued against him. “Failure to do so will compel the committee to invoke itspowers under sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 constitution,” he said.

Read More