JAMB Defends Stance on UTME Top Scorer Chinedu Okeke, Dismisses Manipulation Claims

• JAMB refuted claims that Chinedu Okeke hails from Anambra, insisting he is from Amuwo-Odofin in Lagos State and already a 400-level medical student at UNN, questioning his switch to Mechanical Engineering in 2025.
• The board dismissed allegations of data errors from NIMC, stating that Okeke altered his records before registering for the 2025 UTME—an act allegedly acknowledged by his own supporters.
• Education expert Alex Onyia defended Okeke, blaming the discrepancies on a past system glitch and urging JAMB to apologise for the public scrutiny faced by the 2025 UTME top scorer.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has addressed growing public discourse surrounding 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidate Chinedu Okeke, reaffirming its commitment to data integrity and institutional transparency.

In a statement released by its Head of Public Affairs and Protocol, Fabian Benjamin, the examination body criticized the recent outcry on social media, describing the defense of Okeke as part of a troubling pattern where personal sentiments are placed above factual scrutiny.

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“Firstly, it is inaccurate to assert that Chinedu Okeke hails 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,” the statement read.

JAMB stated that Okeke used this Lagos identity when he sat for the 2021 examination and was admitted to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he is currently in his fourth year. The Board questioned why a 400-level medical student would choose to sit for the 2025 UTME, this time applying to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lagos under a different state origin.

“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,” the statement added.

Addressing allegations that the examination body retrieved incorrect details from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in 2021, Benjamin said the claims were false.

“The assertion that JAMB retrieved incorrect details for Chinedu from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in 2021 is unequivocally false, aimed at fabricating a defence for his case,” Benjamin stated. “The evidence suggests that Chinedu altered his records as filled in 2021 prior to registering for the 2025 UTME, a fact confirmed by even his own advocates.”

He added that candidate identities are strictly verified using their National Identification Numbers (NIN), and that JAMB does not modify or manipulate candidate data.

“At JAMB, a candidate’s identity is established through their National Identification Number (NIN). We do not modify or add to the information provided by candidates; hence, there should be no disputes regarding their identities,” he said.

JAMB also condemned the growing reliance on emotion over fact, stating that campaigners have failed to seek information from the proper sources and have instead tried to stir public sentiment by reaching out to Okeke’s family.

Pending verification from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, JAMB said it would continue to treat Okeke as a legitimate student but hinted that the Medical and Dental Council might be notified for further action if discrepancies are confirmed.

The Board further accused Okeke of exploiting admission slots by using Lagos origin in 2021 to secure a place in Medicine, and then switching to Anambra origin in 2025 to gain advantage in a different course, thereby displacing deserving candidates from both states.

In response to the controversy, education technology expert and CEO of Educare, Alex Onyia, had earlier accused JAMB of unfairly targeting Okeke, who emerged as the highest scorer in the 2025 UTME with 375 marks. Onyia claimed the student was affected by a system glitch, which forced him to retake the exam.

“Chinedu filled all the required documents appropriately, and his updated details were transmitted to JAMB. The inconsistencies were not his doing,” Onyia said, urging the board to offer a public apology and conduct a fair investigation.

He insisted that the issues originated from a 2021 data migration glitch tied to the NIN platform and had already been corrected through the proper channels.

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The legal battle, which has drawn public attention since 2024, took a fresh turn on Thursday as Justice A.Y. Shafa ruled in favour of Prophet Fufeyin, dismissing all preliminary objections raised by VDM.

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