The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has strongly appealed to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to reconsider its decision to invalidate the admissions of over 7,000 graduates from various institutions, including Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma.
In an official statement, NANS Senate President, Akinteye Afeez, called on the Prof. Is-haq Oloyede-led board to demonstrate leniency and prioritize the future of the affected graduates. He emphasized that the irregularities leading to the invalidation were primarily the fault of institutional managements that failed to adhere to JAMB’s admission guidelines.
Afeez highlighted the severe consequences of the decision, stating, “The implications of this decision are dire and far-reaching. Students who have spent years of academic pursuit, endured financial and emotional burdens, and successfully graduated, including those who took loans, are now being stripped of their hard-earned degrees.” He warned that the policy could push many affected students into depression, frustration, and even criminal activities as they face the realities of an already struggling economy.
NANS has also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Honorable Minister of Education to intervene urgently. According to NANS, the Federal Government must address the issue swiftly to prevent further damage to the lives and careers of these graduates.
“We also call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Honorable Minister of Education to urgently intervene in this matter. The Federal Government must call JAMB to order to prevent this policy from wreaking further havoc on the lives of Nigerian students. Failure to address this issue promptly will compel NANS to mobilize affected students nationwide for a mass protest to the Presidential Villa by January 2025.”
NANS stressed that JAMB should redirect its disciplinary measures toward the administrators of the involved institutions rather than punishing innocent students who had no hand in the irregularities.
As the tension escalates, stakeholders and education advocates are watching closely to see if JAMB will respond to NANS’ plea and reconsider its stance. For now, the fate of over 7,000 graduates hangs in the balance, awaiting a resolution to a crisis that could define the future of higher education administration in Nigeria.
