Isaac Samuel
Drama played out on Wednesday at the National Assembly when representatives of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) staged a walkout on the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education Examination Bodies during an investigative hearing.
The committee, chaired by Hon. Oforji Oboku, had invited the examination body to appear before it to explain details of its 2023 and 2024 budget performance, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), and remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).
The JAMB delegation, led by Mufutau Alabi Bello, a director from the Registrar’s Office, had barely settled into the meeting when trouble started.
However, moments after lawmakers introduced themselves, the JAMB officials insisted that the meeting be held behind closed doors and that journalists be excused.
When the committee refused, citing the need for transparency in public accountability, the JAMB team abruptly stood up and walked out.
The JAMB officials accused the lawmakers of planning to embarrass them, which caused an immediate reaction from visibly angry members of the committee.
Angered by the action, the committee immediately directed the Clerk to summon the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest the JAMB representative, but he had already left the premises.
Reacting to the incident, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Oboku Oforji, described the walkout as unfortunate and unacceptable, stressing that the legislature would not tolerate acts of disrespect or attempts to obstruct its oversight duties.
“We wrote three consecutive letters to the Registrar of JAMB requesting these documents. To our surprise, the Registrar failed to appear, and instead sent a former Director of Finance and Accounts, who claimed the committee was out to embarrass them. That is very unfortunate,” Oforji said.
He added that the committee’s intention was not to witch-hunt any government agency but to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
“Our responsibility is to make sure that all agencies under our watch are accountable to Nigerians. We have no intention whatsoever to witch-hunt anyone,” he stated.
The committee gave JAMB until next Tuesday for the Registrar to appear in person with his management team to present the requested documents.
“Failure to do so will compel the committee to take necessary actions in line with the powers vested in us under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended,” the chairman warned.
Other members of the committee also expressed outrage over the incident, describing JAMB’s conduct as disrespectful to the National Assembly and the Nigerian people.
Hon. Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante said the walkout amounted to contempt of Parliament.
“What happened today is most unfortunate. If JAMB can walk out on a committee of the National Assembly, it means they no longer see themselves as accountable to Nigerians. Oversight is a constitutional duty. When an agency refuses to answer questions about public funds, Nigerians have every reason to suspect something is wrong,” he said.
Abiante added that JAMB’s attitude raises questions about transparency in its financial dealings, while recalling past controversies involving missing public funds.
“We have heard of instances where snake swallowed money. So probably a bigger swallow may have happened, and they have not prepared themselves for the autopsy.
“So it’s unfortunate. And if this is what we call democracy, I do not understand where we are headed. We have institutions that have chosen not to be responsible to arms of government, and especially that institution that has been constitutionally mandated to guarantee that the resources of state is not wasted”.
Another member, Hon. Rodney Amboiowei, faulted the agency’s demand for a closed-door meeting, saying it contradicted the principles of openness expected of public institutions.
“Public funds must be accounted for in the open. It is not JAMB’s right to dictate that a parliamentary session be held behind closed doors. This is how agencies get lawmakers into trouble. Nigerians deserve to know how their money is spent,” he said.
