The management of Innoson Automobile Company has withdrawn the N3 million scholarship awarded to Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme over her involvement in Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) result manipulation.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Cornel Osigwe, Head of Corporate Communications at Innoson Group, and made available to newsmen on Saturday in Onitsha.
According to him, “In recent days, we have been involved in the process of investigating allegations surrounding the 2023 UTME examination results of one of our scholarship recipients, Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme.
“It was reported initially that Miss Joy scored exceptionally high on the exam, a feat that led to her being awarded a scholarship by our company.
“However, subsequent reports of discrepancies in her UTME score led us to seek clarification from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and to allow her to voice her stance, we engaged in direct dialogue with Miss Joy.
“Further to this, a committee set up by Gov. Charles Soludo, carried out a thorough independent investigation into this matter,” he said.
Osigwe noted that the findings from the rigorous investigation have now confirmed that Miss Mmesoma did manipulate her UTME results.
“This conclusion is deeply disappointing and stands in direct contravention of the values we hold dear at Innoson Vehicles, particularly those that underscore our scholarship program.
“In line with these principles and in response to the confirmed findings, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw the scholarship awarded to Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme.
“This action is a testament to our unyielding commitment to honesty, integrity, and merit-based recognition,” he said.
He acknowledged that the development was regrettable, and it has undoubtedly caused dismay among those who stood by Miss Mmesoma.
He assured that Innoson Vehicles remained steadfast in its mission to support deserving students, invest in the future of the education sector, and upheld the highest ethical standards.