Atiku, Reps, NANS slam WAEC over midnight exams, irregularities in ongoing SSCE

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the disturbing situation where Nigerian students were forced to write their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) under dark, unsafe, and unfit conditions, describing it as a “national disgrace.”

In a strongly worded statement on Thursday, Atiku decried the incident as a damning reflection of Nigeria’s failed public 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,” he said.

He demanded an immediate retake of the affected examination paper in all compromised centres, stressing that any alternative would be a grave injustice to the students whose futures are at stake.

This follows mounting public outrage and multiple reports of students writing exams as late as midnight in Taraba and Lagos, with no electricity or proper lighting.

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies has also waded into the matter, issuing a 24-hour ultimatum for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to appear before it on Friday.

Chairman of the committee, Oboku Oforji, expressed disappointment over WAEC’s failure to honour an earlier invitation to address widespread complaints and irregularities affecting the ongoing SSCE.

“The examinations have been riddled with serious irregularities. We’ve received reports of students writing exams as late as midnight. WAEC’s absence at the scheduled hearing today is unacceptable,” Oforji said.

In a related development, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) condemned the undue delay in the English Language paper on Wednesday, allegedly due to a question paper leakage. The exam, initially slated for morning hours, was postponed to 4 p.m. and later written between 7 p.m. and midnight at some centres.

In a statement by its National PRO, Adeyemi Ajasa, NANS described the incident as “a shocking display of insensitivity and a gross disregard for students’ welfare.” The student body blamed WAEC’s operational failures and repeated examination leaks for undermining the integrity of the country’s educational system.

“This practice of exposing students to danger and psychological trauma in the name of conducting exams is unacceptable. WAEC should be a symbol of professionalism and preparedness, but its recurrent lapses have continued to burden students unfairly,” NANS declared.

Stakeholders are now calling for a total review of WAEC’s operational procedures and security protocols, insisting that minimum infrastructure and safety standards be enforced nationwide before any high-stakes national exam is conducted again.