‘We’ve been vindicated’- JAMB reacts to panel’s report on candidate who forged UTME result

Akinwande Soji-Ojo

Following the release of the report of the Commission of Inquiry set up by the Anambra State Government to look into the case of UTME results forgery levelled against a candidate from the state, Mmesoma Ejikeme, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said that it had been vindicated.

Recall that in the report of the panel, Mmesoma confessed to have forged her results unaided.

Initially, JAMB had come under fire for declaring the candidate a fraud.

However, a statement issued by the examination body’s spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, on Saturday, said the report of the panel has reinforced the position of JAMB that its system was not and cannot be compromised.

“The report of an independent and unbiased body, as demanded by some Nigerians to look into the Mmesoma saga, has vindicated the Board. This has further reinforced the position of the Board that its system was not and cannot be compromised. It is to be noted that the Board has built a reputation in terms of the conduct of credible examinations over the years and cannot afford to fail the nation at this critical juncture of its development,” Benjamin said.

JAMB noted that it would not relent in its activities and urged Nigerians to celebrate Umeh Kamsiyochukwu on her brilliant feat of being the 2023 UTME top scorer.

“However, in spite of all the posturing of its detractors, the Board remains resolute and uncompromising in its commitment to give Nigeria the best as far as credible and fair assessment is concerned.

“For the benefit of those who are still doubting the capacity of Ms. Mmesoma to commit this egregious crime and those who are pushing the narrative that the girl is just 16 years old even against all available data that indicate her age as an adult of 19 years, Ms. Mmesoma has owned up to committing the heinous infraction, which was carefully crafted to destroy the very foundation of one of the nation’s agencies charged with the critical role of apportioning the limited educational resource of the nation based on fairness equity and integrity.

“One vital lesson that Nigerians should learn from the imbroglio, is to learn to appreciate the genuine efforts of their critical national institutions to chart the course of national rebirth. Hence, this attitude of attacking everything that makes the nation proud even by people who should know better, is disheartening. The flip side of this is to infer that some ethnic jingoists had perhaps been elevated to public office and recognition beyond their mental and emotional capacity.

“To those who have sent apologies after seeing the truth, we call on them to continue to believe in the capacity of the Board to deliver. We commend Anambra State Government for its patriotic and unbiased posture all through the period of the national challenge.

“Let us all put our hands together to build the Nigeria of our dreams as we congratulate Miss Kamyosikwu Chinyere Uche as the best scorer in the 2023 UTME exercise,” the statement added.