• Council apologises for late-night English exams, cites anti-malpractice measures
• Atiku demands resit for affected students

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to appear before it over issues surrounding the ongoing Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
 
Chairman of the Committee, Oboku Oforji, gave the directive yesterday after WAEC failed to honour an earlier invitation to appear before the panel.
 
Meanwhile, the Council has blamed the delay in the conduct of the 2025 English Language paper on Wednesday on heightened efforts to curb examination malpractice, particularly the leakage of question papers.
 
However, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the conditions under which students in various parts of Nigeria were forced to sit for the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, calling the situation a “national disgrace” and demanding a resit of the affected examination paper.
 
According to Oforji, WAEC must appear today (Friday) to explain widespread complaints and irregularities reported during the exams.
 
In a statement, he recalled that the committee had invited WAEC on Tuesday to clarify issues that affected the conduct of the exams across the country.
 
He expressed disappointment over WAEC’s absence during the scheduled hearing yesterday, describing it as unacceptable, given the scale of public concern.
  
“The examinations have been riddled with serious irregularities. We’ve received reports of students writing exams as late as midnight in some centres across the country,” Oforji stated. “The House deemed it necessary to summon WAEC to explain these developments and the trauma candidates are facing. Ironically, WAEC responded this morning, saying they could not appear due to their involvement in the exams. But that is precisely why we need them here.”
 
Oforji emphasised that “the committee expects WAEC to appear without fail on Friday,” warning that failure to do so would prompt the House to invoke its constitutional powers to compel compliance.
 
In a statement, yesterday, WAEC acknowledged the disruption experienced by candidates during the English Language Paper 2, scheduled for May 28, but held hours behind schedule in many centres nationwide.
 
Images circulated on social media showed students sitting for the examination as late as 10.00 p.m., relying on torchlights and lanterns due to power outage, a situation that sparked outrage and renewed concerns about examination planning and student welfare.
 
WAEC’s Acting Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, said the examination body’s commitment to protect the integrity of the examination contributed significantly to the delay.
 
“While maintaining the integrity and security of our examination, we faced considerable challenges primarily due to our major aim of preventing leakage of any paper.
 
“While we successfully achieved our objective, it inadvertently impacted the timeliness and seamless conduct of the examination,” Adesina said.
  
On his part, Atiku wrote, “The recent report of students sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination in appallingly dark and unfit conditions across the country is nothing short of a national disgrace. That this outrage occurred just a day after the world marked Children’s Day only deepens the shame.”
 
“This is not merely an unfortunate incident; it is a damning indictment of our systemic failure to uphold the most basic standards in public education. 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 also demanded the retake of the affected examination paper in all affected centres, warning that anything less would be a “grave injustice to the students whose futures hang in the balance.”