Atiku, Reps, NANS Slam WAEC Over Midnight Exams, Demand Retake and Reforms

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described the recent conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) under poor and unfit conditions as a “national disgrace,” calling for urgent reforms and a retake of affected papers.

This reaction follows widespread outrage over reports that Nigerian students were forced to write critical examination papers in pitch darkness and unsafe environments, particularly in rural areas.

Atiku, in a strongly worded statement, decried the incident as a “damning indictment” of Nigeria’s failing education system.

“It is unacceptable, unjustifiable, and utterly indefensible that in 2025, our children are forced to write critical national exams in pitch darkness like second-class citizens,” Atiku said.

He emphasized that examination readiness is a shared responsibility between students and examination bodies, stating that WAEC had “failed spectacularly” in this duty.
He demanded a retake of the affected papers in all compromised centres and urged the federal government to enforce minimum infrastructural and environmental standards for national exams.

Reps Summon WAEC Over Irregularities
In a related development, the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to WAEC to appear before it and respond to numerous complaints about the ongoing Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

Committee Chairman, Oboku Oforji, expressed frustration after WAEC failed to attend a scheduled hearing on Thursday, despite being formally invited since May 27.

“The examinations have been riddled with serious irregularities. We’ve received disturbing reports of students writing exams as late as midnight in some centres,” Oforji said.

He noted that WAEC claimed its ongoing examination duties made it impossible to appear before the panel, a response he described as ironic given that those same ongoing activities were the reason for the summons.

NANS Condemns WAEC’s Conduct
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) also condemned WAEC for the delay and rescheduling of the English Language paper due to alleged exam leakage.

According to NANS spokesperson Adeyemi Ajasa, the paper, initially scheduled for the morning of Wednesday, was postponed to as late as 7 p.m. in some centres, putting students — especially those in rural communities — at risk.

“This shocking level of insensitivity not only endangers students but also disrupts their psychological preparedness,” NANS stated.
“Repeated incidents of exam paper leakage point to deep-rooted failures in WAEC’s security measures and operational structure.”

NANS called for a comprehensive overhaul of WAEC’s internal systems, stating that the credibility of Nigeria’s education system is at stake if such lapses are allowed to persist.

With voices from both political and student communities demanding accountability, pressure is now mounting on WAEC to address the irregularities, restore confidence in its operations, and ensure that no student is unfairly disadvantaged due to institutional lapses.

As the House committee prepares to receive WAEC on Friday, all eyes are on the examination body to provide answers and take corrective action.