The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has revealed that he nearly resigned due to the pressure caused by technical glitches experienced during the UTME in parts of the South-East and Lagos State.

Oloyede made the disclosure on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja with Chief External Examiners, state technical advisers, and other key officials involved in the examination process.

“When the issue occurred, my initial reaction was to resign, but I was advised against it. People told me the students would feel abandoned and never forgive me for leaving at such a critical moment,” he said.

He also dismissed conspiracy theories suggesting that the glitches were targeted at specific regions of the country.

Oloyede emphasised that the UTME is a placement test, not a measure of intelligence or academic potential. “Its purpose is to rank candidates for limited admission slots, not to test how smart someone is,” he clarified.

Addressing growing criticism and conspiracy theories about the examination process, Oloyede firmly rejected claims of ethnic bias or administrative incompetence.

“I take responsibility, not because I failed, but because that’s leadership. I didn’t even realise people viewed issues around me through ethnic lenses. We must rise above such profiling,” he stated.

He praised both candidates and staff for their resilience amid logistical difficulties.

“We had limited space. We knew if we wasted more time grieving the challenges, students would lose their opportunity,” he said.

The special mop-up exam will be scheduled soon, and JAMB says it remains committed to transparency and fairness in admissions.