The House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions has fixed 19 February 2026 for the hearing of a petition filed against the Joint Admission Matriculations Board (JAMB) over its policy denying admission to candidates under the age of 16 who sat for and wrote the 2025 UTME Examinations.
The Notice of Hearing was conveyed through an electronic hearing notice served on the Petitioners’ Counsel, Vincent Adebayo Àdòdó, by the Secretariat of the Committee.
The petition was filed by a group known as ‘Movement against JAMB Injustice 2025’ which consist of parents, students and concerned persons affected by the policy by which JAMB has foreclosed admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 session to qualified candidates on the ground of being underaged having not clocked 16 as at the 31st August 2025, despite their meritorious and sterling performance in the 2025 UTME Examinations.
In their petition dated the 23rd September 2025 addressed to the Chairman, House Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions, the movement through their counsel, Vincent Adodo, contended that the enforcement of the policy was in violation of court judgments and constitutional provisions.
They stated that “the action of JAMB in enforcing the policy in disobedience to the judgments of two superior courts of record violates the 1999 Constitution which mandates all authorities and persons to obey the judgments of courts,” and also contended that “the action of JAMB violated the fundamental rights of the petitioners against their right to freedom from discrimination guaranteed by Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution.”
The petitioners also set out the reliefs they are seeking from the House of Representatives. They stated that “Among other prayers, the movement in its Petition prays the House of Representatives to direct JAMB to lift the age restriction for all qualified candidates who passed the UTME in 2025, restore the admission of all candidates whose admission has been withdrawn or suspended based on the policy.”
The petition further addressed the broader implications of the matter. It stated that “This Petition and the events surrounding it again highlight the growing trend of institutional impunity among Nigerian government agencies who, especially in recent years, normalised the attitude of disobedience to court judgments and acts suggesting that they lack respect for the rule of law.”
It also noted the impact on affected candidates, stating that “This particular case is important given that it touches on the lives of thousands of children who are forced to remain at home doing nothing despite having met all qualifications to gain admission into the tertiary institutions and make meaningful use of their time.”
The group concluded by stating that “The fate of these children will ultimately depend on the proactiveness of the House of Representatives in handling this petition.”