As the back and forth continue between young Ejikeme Mmesoma, a UTME candidate in Anambra and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the Governor of Anambra state, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has set up an eight-man panel consisting of six professors, a Reverend Sister and one other, to investigate the accusations of forgery levelled against the acclaimed highest scorer of this year’s UTME.
Prof. Soludo in a statement issued by his Commissioner for Information, Paul Nwosu, on Wednesday, said that the panel will be composed of Prof Nkemdilim Nnonyelu, Prof Mercy Okonkwo, Prof Ngozi Chuma- Udeh, Prof Maduabuchi Dukor and Prof Jaja Nwanegbo
Other members are Rev Sr, Prof Mary-Felicia Opara, Rev Cannon Dr Uxhenna Umeifekwem and Mr Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata.
According to Nwosu, the governor has been following the JAMB-Mmesoma Ejike matter with keen interest.
It reads: “It’s important to note that Miss Mmesoma Ejike went to the office of the Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh with her UTME result to protest that the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) didn’t recognise her as the candidate with the highest score.
“The Commissioner in turn called JAMB to confirm her claim but she was told that Mmesoma’s result was forged.
“It was at this point that JAMB authorities invited the Directorate of State Services (DSS) to investigate the matter and make its findings known.
“This was yet to happen when JAMB went public with the matter, thus eliciting the raucous conversations we’ve seen in the media.
“It is not our wish to join the slanging match or take sides at this stage. But as a responsible government, we have decided to undertake an independent investigation into the matter.
“In the light of the above, Anambra State Government has set up a Committee of Inquiry to thoroughly investigate the JAMB-Mmesoma matter”.
The statement said the findings of the Committee would be made public after the sittings.
