The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has denied claims that it is unfairly targeting Chinedu Okeke, the top scorer in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), who achieved 375 out of 400.
The controversy arose after Educare CEO Alex Onyia disclosed that Okeke, currently a medical student, was being accused of impersonation, or acting as a mercenary, because he previously sat for the exam in 2021 and gained admission to study medicine and surgery.
Onyia explained that Okeke chose to retake JAMB to switch his course to mechanical engineering.
However, this led to allegations that he was acting as a hired candidate, sparking outrage on social media, where many accused JAMB of unfairly targeting him.
In response, JAMB dismissed the backlash as "emotional blackmail" and reiterated that, according to official records from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Okeke remains an enrolled undergraduate at the institution.
The exam body also noted it has not received any updated information from UNN indicating otherwise.
They wrote ...
"First of all, it is not true to say that Chinedu Okeke is from Anambra State. All available records indicate that he is from Amuwo-Odofin Local Government in Lagos State, where he sat for the 2021 UTME as he then claimed in his details filled with NIMC
Based on this, he gained admission to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and is currently in his fourth year.
A review of his student records from the university has not yet contradicted this information and this as it were raises significant questions as to why a 400-level medical student would suddenly pivot to studying Mechanical Engineering in 2025 while still enrolled in his original programme, especially given the inconsistencies in his personal claims which should form his identity.
As of now, the university has not stated anything to the contrary.
"Once we receive such confirmation, we will promptly notify the Medical and Dental Council to consider delisting him, until that is done, the Board would continue to treat Chinedu with all the dignity he deserves as a bona fide student of one of Nigeria's tertiary institutions."
"As a statutory agency, JAMB remains committed to its mandate of ensuring that no candidate exploits loopholes for personal gain," the statememt adds.
"The facts are clear: Chinedu took advantage of Lagos State's quota in 2021, thereby obstructing the admission opportunities for other deserving candidates from the state.
Furthermore, he attempted to manipulate his details with the NIMC to unjustly claim representation from Anambra State in 2025.
"The Board will not be swayed by the antics of attention-seekers as it diligently performs its duty to ensure that our future leaders are truly deserving in both learning and character."
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