Atiku, NANS Slam WAEC Over WASSCE Irregularities, House Issues 24-Hour Ultimatum

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar condemned the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for the deplorable conditions during the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), where students wrote the English Language paper in darkness, calling it a “national disgrace” and a “systemic failure” in Nigeria’s education sector. In a statement on May 29, 2025, Atiku demanded a retake of the affected paper in compromised centers, citing videos of students using lanterns and phone flashlights as late as 10 p.m. He urged authorities to enforce minimum infrastructural standards for high-stakes exams, warning that anything less is a “grave injustice” to students.

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies, chaired by Oboku Oforji, issued a 24-hour ultimatum on May 29, 2025, for WAEC to appear before it on May 30, following the council’s failure to attend a scheduled May 24 hearing. Oforji criticized WAEC’s absence amid public outcry over irregularities, including exams delayed until midnight in states like Taraba, Osun, and Ogun, and a collapsed exam hall in Taraba. He warned that non-compliance would trigger constitutional sanctions, emphasizing the need to address student trauma and prevent recurrence.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) also criticized WAEC for delaying the English Language paper from 2:00 p.m. to as late as 7:00 p.m. on May 28, 2025, due to an alleged question leak, calling it “insensitive” and a threat to student safety, especially in rural areas. In a statement by Deputy Vice President Adebayo David, NANS decried WAEC’s systemic failures, including repeated leaks and logistical delays, which forced students to write exams under torchlights, undermining the exam’s integrity. WAEC apologized, citing security measures to prevent leaks as the cause of delays, but NANS demanded accountability for the “inhumanistic” conditions.

WAEC’s Acting Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, acknowledged logistical and sociocultural challenges, reaffirming the council’s commitment to academic standards. However, the crisis, compounded by incidents like a flooded exam center in Edo, has sparked widespread outrage, with posts on X highlighting student frustration and safety risks. Atiku’s call for a retake and NANS’s push for accountability align with broader demands for educational reform, as the House’s probe seeks to address WAEC’s operational lapses.