By Wilson Adekumola
The Youth Wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has called on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to put an end to Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme’s alleged results falsification case by testing her with another examination.
Ejikeme, an erstwhile student of Anglican Girls Secondary School, Nnewi in Anambra, had celebrated her emergence as a candidate with the highest score in the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
JAMB, in a statement on Sunday signed by its Spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, however, alleged Miss Ejikeme altered her results to in her favour, noting that the result would be withdrawn and also made have to face prosecution.
The Financial Secretary of the Ohanaeze Youth Wing, Mazi Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, while speaking with journalists on Tuesday in Owerri, urged the examination board to put the matter to rest by resetting the examination for Miss Ejikeme.
While describing the situation as `embarrassing’ to the candidate, JAMB, and Nigeria in general, Arthur-Ugwa urged the Board to immediately clear its image and that of the nation.
He opined that the allegation would come with negative psychological and emotional effects on Mmesoma, urging JAMB to “desist from causing harm” in any form or by any means on an innocent youth who had yet to be pronounced guilty by the results of ongoing investigations into the matter.
“Only another examination supervised by independent observers will bring this matter to rest and we will avail ourselves to be part of the supervision if need be,” he said.
He sad the Board had never complained of any attempt to manipulate its website, hence the need for the board not to preempt investigations.
“Only a few years back, JAMB told us how a snake swallowed a huge sum of money in one of its offices; today we are being told that the results of an examination that should admit students into our hallowed tertiary institutions can no longer be trusted for what they are.
“JAMB must, as a matter of national importance, realise the seriousness of its role in society and stop being in the news for the wrong reasons.
“If its management can no longer hold forth, then let the Federal Government overhaul the entire board and save our country and her people from needless embarrassment’’, he said.
