The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies has issued a stringent ultimatum to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), demanding their appearance before the Committee within 24 hours.
This directive comes amid escalating concerns over numerous irregularities reported during the ongoing Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), which have raised serious questions about the integrity and credibility of the examination process.
Honourable Oboku Abonsizibe Oforji, Chairman of the Committee, disclosed this development in a statement released on Thursday.
He expressed the Committee’s profound disappointment and frustration over WAEC’s failure to honour a prior invitation to provide clarity on these pressing issues.
The invitation was initially extended on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, with a scheduled hearing set for Thursday, May 29, 2025. However, WAEC neither attended the hearing nor offered any explanation for their absence.
Oforji highlighted that the Committee’s summons was prompted by an influx of complaints and alarming reports from various stakeholders, including candidates, parents, and education officials.
“The Committee is deeply concerned by widespread irregularities occurring across multiple examination centres,” he noted. “There have been disturbing accounts of candidates having to sit for exams as late as midnight in certain locations, which is completely unacceptable and undermines the fairness and seriousness of the examinations.”
The Chairman stressed that WAEC’s refusal to appear is a grave neglect of its responsibilities, particularly at a time when public trust in the conduct of national examinations is being severely tested.
“This situation is unacceptable, and the Committee cannot allow the integrity of our examination system to be compromised,” Oforji remarked.
“The House of Representatives feels it is necessary to summon WAEC urgently to provide explanations for these irregularities and the trauma endured by candidates during the exams.”
Interestingly, WAEC responded to the Committee’s initial invitation only on the morning of the hearing day, citing their ongoing involvement in administering the examinations as a reason for their inability to appear. “Ironically, it is precisely because these exams are ongoing that we need WAEC to come before us to address the issues as they unfold,” Oforji pointed out.
The Committee has now resolved that WAEC must appear before it without fail on Friday, May 30, 2025. Failure to comply will compel the Committee to invoke the full legislative powers granted to the House by the Constitution to ensure WAEC’s accountability and cooperation.
Honourable Oforji was emphatic in clarifying the Committee’s stance: “Our intention is not to witch-hunt or unduly pressure WAEC, but rather to seek transparent answers that will alleviate public anxiety and prevent a recurrence of these problems in future examinations.”
He further underscored that WAEC has been conducting national exams for decades without encountering this level of disorganisation and disruption. “Clearly, something is amiss and must be urgently addressed.”
The ultimatum serves as a decisive warning that the House of Representatives is committed to safeguarding the integrity of national examinations and ensuring that those responsible for their administration uphold the highest standards of transparency, fairness, and professionalism.