The House of Representatives is set to resume its investigative hearing on Monday, June 2, 2025, into the controversial midnight conduct of the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) across the country. This follows public outrage over the irregular timing and poor management of the exams, which many Nigerians have described as deeply troubling.
The probe, spearheaded by the House Committee on Basic Education Examination Bodies, was initiated in response to the widespread complaints and calls for accountability directed at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). On Friday, the committee, chaired by Hon. Oboku Oforji, ordered the Head of WAEC Nigeria to appear in person and explain the circumstances that led to the chaos.
Although a delegation from WAEC was present at Friday’s session—led by Senior Assistant Registrar and Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Ambrose Okelezo—it was met with frustration from lawmakers. Okelezo informed the committee that the Head of WAEC Nigeria could not attend the hearing due to an emergency meeting involving WAEC’s national office heads from member countries. He assured the committee, however, that the official would appear on Monday to provide a full explanation of the events.
“The Head of National Office has pleaded to appear on Monday to give a full detail of the incident to the House,” Okelezo said. “He is not here right now, so I am representing him.”
WAEC acknowledged operational difficulties during the 2025 school examinations, including significant delays in the administration of the English Language Paper 2. But lawmakers were visibly dissatisfied with the responses provided by the delegation.
Hon. Awaji Nnombek Abiante (PDP-Rivers) sharply criticized the lack of authoritative representation from WAEC, stressing that the head of the council must personally answer for the lapses. He expressed outrage over reports that students—particularly those in remote and underserved communities—were forced to sit for exams late at night, allegedly due to delays caused by the transportation of exam papers using commercial vehicles.
“Where are the competent hands for such a critical task?” Abiante asked. “This is unacceptable for a country of over 200 million people. It’s horrible.”
Efforts by Hon. Oforji to calm tensions and steer the conversation toward a more measured tone were only partially successful. While he acknowledged the gravity of the situation, he urged his colleagues to avoid emotional outbursts.
“Nigerians are deeply interested in what led to this unfortunate incident,” Oforji said. “We must look at the issues objectively and tackle them.”
Hon. Billy Osawaru also weighed in, describing the entire incident as a “national embarrassment.” He questioned whether the committee should accept WAEC’s proposed appearance date or press for an earlier session. “The delegation here today cannot help us as they are not decision-makers,” Osawaru said. “The right person must come and answer our questions.”
The committee is now expected to make a final decision following the appearance of WAEC’s Head of National Office on Monday.
