Breaking: Reps Give WAEC 24-Hour Ultimatum to Appear over Late-Night WASSCE

• The House of Representatives has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) due to escalating issues that rocked the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE)
• This followed a trending video of WASSCE candidates writing the English Language examinations on May 28, at night in darkness using torchlight and without power supply
• The House of Representatives took this action after Atiku Abubakar raised an alarm, condemning the examination and called for a resit of the paper

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

FCT, Abuja - The House of Representatives, on Thursday, May 29, gave the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) 24 hours to appear before it over growing concerns about the ongoing Senior School Certificate Examination.

Reps issues 24-hour ultimatum to WAEC

The ultimatum was issued on Thursday by Oboku Oforji, chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies.

Legit.ng reported that many students taking the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) wrote their English Language examination in darkness, sparking outrage and serious concerns in the polity.

As reported by The Punch, Oforji said WAEC must appear on Friday, May 30, 2025, without fail.

He expressed disappointment after WAEC failed to attend a scheduled meeting meant to address reports of irregularities during the exams.

Reps query WAEC over late-night exams

“We invited WAEC to explain the problems being reported, including students writing exams as late as midnight in some centres.

“Their absence today is unacceptable,” Oforji said.

He noted that WAEC had informed the committee on Thursday morning that it couldn’t attend because its officials were busy with the exams.

“But that is exactly why they need to appear. These irregularities are happening under their watch, and the public deserves answers,” he said.

Oforji stressed that the House is not out to attack WAEC but wants to understand what went wrong and how to fix it.

“This level of confusion during national exams is unheard of. WAEC has conducted exams for years, but we’ve never seen this kind of disorganisation,” he added.

“If WAEC fails to appear by Friday, the House will be forced to use its constitutional powers to compel them.”

He said the goal was to protect students and ensure such challenges do not happen again.

Read more about WAEC here:

• Outrage as WAEC candidates sit for paper in darkness
• FG gives fresh order to JAMB, WAEC, NECO
• Father of slain WAEC student speaks in trending video
• WASSCE success: WAEC introduces e-study to help students achieve excellence in exams
• Video: Family thrown into mourning as police stray bullet reportedly kills WAEC student in Ibadan
• Access WAEC digital certificate

Late-night WASSCE: Atiku demands resit for affected students

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the conditions under which students took the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in darkness as a national disgrace.

He criticised the Nigerian government demanded that the affected exam paper be retaken and called for the establishment of minimum environmental and infrastructural standards for national examinations.

"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.

Source: Legit.ng