Nigerian House of Representatives Demands WAEC Accountability Over SSCE Exam Disruptions

The Nigerian House of Representatives has taken a firm stance against the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), demanding that the council appear before it within 24 hours to explain reported irregularities during the ongoing Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

Oboku Oforji, Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies, issued the ultimatum on Thursday, May 29, 2025, after WAEC failed to attend a previously scheduled meeting to discuss troubling reports, including students writing exams as late as midnight.

“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 lamented.

WAEC had informed the committee that its officials were engaged with exam duties, which prevented their attendance. Oforji rejected this excuse, stating, “But that is exactly why they need to appear. These irregularities are happening under their watch, and the public deserves answers.”

He emphasized that the House was not seeking to attack WAEC but 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 said.

Oforji warned that failure to appear by Friday would lead the House to use its constitutional powers to compel WAEC’s attendance. The committee’s priority is to protect students and prevent future exam disruptions.