A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and concerned citizens have expressed deep concern over the silence of Southeast governors and commissioners of education regarding the recent controversy surrounding the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Following JAMB’s admission of widespread irregularities and systemic failures affecting the South-East and parts of Lagos State, including technical glitches, server failures, biometric errors, and inexplicably low scores, calls for a resit were issued. However, a three-page statement released in Enugu on Tuesday by 17 CSOs and 12 concerned citizens lamented the “conspicuous silence” from regional political leaders.

The statement, titled “The Silence that Speaks Volumes: South-East Governors and Commissioners of Education, Your Constituents Demand Your Voice on the JAMB Crisis”, described the inaction as “worrisome, perplexing and unsettling,” highlighting the frustration of affected students and parents.

They criticized the hastily arranged supplementary examination, which reportedly suffered from exam center mix-ups and last-minute venue changes, further burdening the students.

The coalition emphasized that governors and commissioners, as direct representatives of the people and custodians of welfare, must speak out during such crises.
They warned that continued silence could be interpreted as a lack of concern and urged for a thorough and transparent investigation into the matter.

The statement called for a comprehensive review of JAMB’s systems, measures to support affected students, and a firm commitment to ensuring fair treatment of Southeast candidates.

Signatories include South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO), Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL), and many others.