Atiku hails WAEC, NECO fee hike suspension, says Nigeria ‘not a laboratory for reckless policy experiments’

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to suspend the proposed increase in registration fees for the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, and the National Examinations Council, NECO, describing the reversal as a victory for millions of Nigerian families and a vindication of those who opposed the policy.

The Federal Government had suspended the planned fee hike following widespread criticism from parents, students, labour unions, civil society organisations and other stakeholders who argued that the increase would further worsen access to education amid the country’s economic challenges.

Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the government’s decision confirmed the concerns he had earlier raised about the consequences of making public examinations more expensive for ordinary Nigerians.

He argued that increasing the cost of WAEC and NECO examinations would have deepened educational inequality, worsened Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis and denied thousands of brilliant but indigent students the opportunity to pursue higher education.

While describing the suspension as a welcome development, the former vice president questioned why the Tinubu administration consistently waits for widespread public outrage before reversing policies that, according to him, should not have been introduced in the first place.

“The suspension is welcome, but it also raises an uncomfortable question: why must this government always wait for public outrage before correcting policies that should never have been conceived in the first place?

“Governing is not a laboratory for reckless experimentation. Sound governments consult before they decide, not after Nigerians have been subjected to needless anxiety and uncertainty,” he said.

Atiku accused the administration of making major policy decisions without adequate consultation with critical stakeholders, only to retreat after facing stiff public opposition.

According to him, such a pattern reflects weak policy formulation rather than responsive governance.

“It is becoming a disturbing pattern. This administration announces harsh policies with little evidence of meaningful consultation, only to retreat when confronted by overwhelming public opposition. That is not responsive governance; it reflects poor policy formulation.

“The purpose of leadership is to anticipate the consequences of public policy before it is implemented. A government that repeatedly relies on public resistance to discover its mistakes is admitting, whether intentionally or not, that it is disconnected from the daily realities of its citizens,” he stated.

The ADC presidential candidate further argued that the proposed examination fee increase would have imposed an additional financial burden on families already struggling with inflation, high transportation costs, rising electricity tariffs and declining purchasing power.

“Education should be the ladder out of poverty, not another luxury reserved for the privileged,” he said.

Atiku commended parents, teachers, labour organisations, student groups, education stakeholders and other Nigerians who opposed the proposed increase, saying their collective action demonstrated the importance of citizen participation in a democratic society.

“I commend parents, teachers, labour organisations, student groups, education stakeholders, and every patriotic Nigerian whose collective voice compelled this reconsideration. Democracy works best when citizens hold government accountable,” he added.

He, however, said suspending the policy should not end the conversation, urging the Federal Government to engage stakeholders in developing a sustainable funding model for WAEC and NECO without shifting the financial burden to struggling households.

According to him, the Tinubu administration must also abandon what he described as its growing habit of introducing “anti-people” policies before seeking public input.

“Consultation is not a sign of weakness; it is the foundation of responsible governance,” he said.

The former vice president urged the administration to use the latest policy reversal as an opportunity for introspection by embracing evidence-based policymaking anchored on dialogue, empathy and the welfare of Nigerians.

“A government that listens only after Nigerians cry out is a government that has stopped listening to the people it was elected to serve,” he said.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Atiku said Nigerians would have a clear choice between what he described as an administration driven by “trial and error” and one with proven experience in governance.

“The lesson from this latest policy reversal is simple: a nation as important as Nigeria cannot be governed like a laboratory for endless experimentation. Nigerians deserve leadership that listens before it acts, consults before it decides, and gets it right the first time,” he added.