Atiku Condemns FG Proposed ₦50,000 Uniform WAEC, NECO Fees

Ex-Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Federal Government over the reported approval of a uniform ₦50,000 examination fee for candidates sitting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examinations Council examinations from 2027, warning that the policy would deny millions of children access to education.
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Atiku also condemned the recent increase in fees charged by Federal Unity Colleges, describing the measures as economically insensitive and inconsistent with the government’s constitutional obligation to make education accessible to every Nigerian child.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former Vice President said the Tinubu-led government is imposing additional financial burdens on families already struggling under the weight of inflation, rising food prices, high transportation costs, electricity tariff increases and widespread unemployment.

“It is unconscionable that at a time when Nigerian families are battling record inflation, soaring food prices, rising transportation costs, crippling electricity tariffs, stagnant incomes and widespread unemployment, the Tinubu administration has chosen to make education even more expensive,” Atiku said.

He argued that education remains the most effective instrument for breaking the cycle of poverty and warned that increasing the cost of schooling would further widen inequality.

“A government that genuinely believes in the future of its people does not erect financial barriers between children and education. It removes them. Education is not a privilege reserved for the wealthy; it is the birthright of every Nigerian child and the foundation upon which prosperous nations are built,” he stated.

The ADC chieftain noted that the proposed examination fee and higher Unity School charges were particularly troubling because they come at a time Nigeria is grappling with one of the world’s largest out-of-school children populations.

According to him, estimates put the number of Nigerian children and young people outside the classroom at between 10.5m and 15m.

“Nigeria already bears the painful distinction of having one of the largest populations of out-of-school children in the world. Any government confronted with such a national emergency should be investing aggressively to bring these children back into school. Instead, this administration is choosing policies that will inevitably swell those numbers,” he said.

Atiku warned that higher examination fees would disproportionately affect children from poor and middle-income households, many of whose parents are already forced to choose between meeting basic needs and paying school-related expenses.

“The consequences of these policies extend far beyond school gates. Every child priced out of education today becomes tomorrow’s victim of unemployment, poverty, child labour, criminal exploitation, drug abuse or insecurity. Nations do not become prosperous by making education more expensive; they prosper by making education more accessible,” he added.

He further argued that the proposed ₦50,000 fee for WAEC and NECO examinations would create another barrier to tertiary education for indigent students.

“It is a systemic filter that will inevitably restrict access to tertiary education for thousands of indigent but academically qualified Nigerian students. For many children from low-income families, the journey to university does not end at the admission gate—it is terminated long before then by the inability to afford the qualifying examinations that determine their future,” he said.

He noted that although more than two million candidates seek admission into tertiary institutions annually, public universities admit only between 500,000 and 700,000 students because of inadequate infrastructure.

“Rather than addressing this structural deficit by expanding infrastructure and increasing admission capacity, the government is effectively constricting access even further through higher Unity School fees and the proposed ₦50,000 WAEC and NECO examination fee. The result is a cruel double punishment,” he said.

The former Vice President also questioned the government’s emphasis on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, arguing that student loans cannot compensate for policies that make it difficult for children to complete secondary education or sit qualifying examinations.

“A university loan offers little comfort to a child who has already been priced out of secondary education or cannot afford the qualifying examination required to secure admission. A government cannot credibly claim to be expanding access to higher education while simultaneously erecting financial barriers that prevent millions of young Nigerians from ever reaching the university gates,” he noted.

Atiku maintained that meaningful education reform should focus on making education affordable at the basic and secondary levels, expanding university infrastructure and ensuring that poverty does not determine access to learning.

“No nation has ever taxed its way into educational excellence. Countries that aspire to economic greatness invest more—not less—in education during difficult times because they understand that human capital is the engine of sustainable development,” he stressed.

He called on President Bola Tinubu to reverse the increase in Unity School fees and shelve the proposed ₦50,000 WAEC and NECO examination fee, while convening a stakeholders’ dialogue on sustainable financing of public education.

Atiku

He also urged the Federal Government to invest more in public schools, recruit additional teachers, expand the capacity of tertiary institutions and ensure that no Nigerian child is denied education because of financial hardship.

The statement comes amid growing public debate over the affordability of education following recent increases in school-related charges and concerns about the rising cost of living.

Although the Federal Government has introduced NELFUND to improve access to tertiary education, critics argue that affordability challenges begin much earlier in the education value chain, particularly at the secondary school level where students must complete qualifying examinations before seeking university admission.

The plan to introduce a uniform ₦50,000 examination fee for WAEC and NECO candidates from 2027 has also sparked widespread public reactions, with stakeholders calling for clarity from the relevant authorities on the policy.
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ICPC Moves To Fortify The Moral Fabric Of The Nation’s Future Leaders In Sokoto Schools Ahead Of AU Anti-Graft Day

In a proactive move to fortify the moral fabric of the nation’s future leaders, Sokoto State Office of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) convened a landmark cluster sensitisation programme for secondary school students. The initiative, held recently at Government Girls’ College Sokoto, precedes the official commemoration of the 2026 African Union Anti-Corruption Day, underscoring a deliberate shift from punitive measures to preventive education in the war against graft.
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The outreach, which drew participants from Government Girls’ College Sokoto, Government Girls’ College Raba, and Government Girls’ College Bodinga, was timed to resonate with the continental theme for this year’s observance: “Scaling Up the Promotion of Integrity and Anti-Corruption Action Across Africa.” By targeting young minds, the Commission aims to cultivate a generation for whom ethical conduct is not merely a regulatory requirement, but an intrinsic personal value.

Welcoming the ICPC delegation, the Principal of the host school, Hajiya Fatima Abubakar Gobir, lauded the Commission’s foresight in selecting her institution as a hub for the programme. She expressed profound gratitude for the intervention, asserting that the sensitisation would catalyze the reinforcement of the pillars of honesty, self-discipline, and responsible citizenship among the girls. Her remarks highlighted the critical role of educational institutions as frontline bastions in the fight against societal decay.

Leading the ICPC team, Deputy Superintendent Abdullahi Ibrahim Aliyu, representing the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner, delivered a compelling address on the transformative power of personal integrity. He posited that a just and prosperous society is inextricably linked to the moral choices of its individuals, urging the students to anchor their lives in accountability and ethical fortitude. “Strive to be remembered not for your wealth or titles, but for your unwavering integrity and the positive footprint you leave on humanity,” he charged the attentive audience.

Mr. Aliyu further elucidated that the crusade against corruption is fundamentally a grassroots campaign, beginning with the seemingly inconsequential decisions of everyday life. He called upon the younger generation to embrace their agency as vanguards of change, emphasising that a corruption-free Nigeria and a reformed Africa are attainable only when citizens internalise the principle that collective probity starts with individual rectitude. His discourse served as a clarion call for students to eschew the allure of shortcuts and embrace the rigour of principled living.

At the ceremonial close of the event, the Commission distributed a suite of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials to the participating schools. These resources are designed to serve as enduring pedagogical tools, ensuring that the conversations sparked today continue to echo within the classrooms and dormitories long after the delegates have departed. The occasion was further commemorated with a group photograph that captured the shared commitment of educators, students, and anti-corruption officials to a future defined by transparency.

Sokoto Schools

The programme, which registered a robust turnout of 376 participants, stands as a testament to the ICPC’s evolving strategy of embedding anti-corruption awareness within the educational curriculum. By engaging students ahead of the continental observance on 11th July, the Commission has effectively ignited a youth-led movement, reinforcing the notion that the battle for Africa’s soul will be won not in courtrooms, but in the hearts and minds of its young populace.
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Umahi Vs Obi: The Performance Debate Obi Decllned, Knowing He Could Not Win

In politics, narratives may shape public opinion, but history is ultimately written by records of service. Campaign slogans change but tangible achievements endure.
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That was the foundation of the public invitation issued by the Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, to former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi: a debate centered not on personalities, party affiliations or political rhetoric, but on governance, leadership and results.

Many Nigerians expected what could have been one of the most consequential conversations on public service in recent times. Instead, Mr. Obi declined the invitation, explaining that he is currently a presidential candidate while Senator Umahi is not.

Yet the challenge was never about electoral status. It was about accountability. It was about inviting two former governors to present their records before Nigerians and allow the public to judge whose leadership produced the greater impact.

If governance is measured by performance, political ambition should not prevent an honest comparison of records.

Senator Umahi’s invitation was straightforward: place the evidence on the table and let Nigerians decide.

Mr. Peter Obi’s comparison of his political profile with that of Senator David Umahi is like comparing a single chapter to an entire book. Few contemporary public servants have accumulated the breadth and depth of public service experience that Senator Umahi has. Before entering public office, Umahi built a successful career in the private sector as an accomplished businessman.

He has since served as the State Chairman of a ruling political party, Deputy Governor, Governor, Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, Co-Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and now Honourable Minister of Works where he oversees one of the most ambitious federal road infrastructure programmes in Nigeria’s history, supervising transformative projects across the country.

By contrast, Peter Obi’s highest elective public office and entire experience has been Governor of Anambra State. Beyond that, he has not held any other executive or legislative public office. Not party Chairman, not Minister, and never a Senator.

At every stage, Umahi’s leadership was tested through elections, public scrutiny and increasing national responsibility.

As Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Umahi presided over an unprecedented transformation of the state’s physical infrastructure. His administration delivered extensive concrete road networks, multiple flyovers, bridges, urban renewal projects and public institutions that remain visible across the state today.

Among the landmark projects are the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, and David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu, the Chuba Okadigbo International Airport, the Ecumenical Centre, the Ebonyi Shopping Mall, the New Government House, the Poverlisation Plant, the New Governor’s Lodge, the State Executive Council Chambers, the State Judiciary Complex, 23 flyovers across the state, the Margaret Umahi International Market, the revitalised Fertilizer Blending Plant, modern hospitals, schools, water schemes and extensive drainage infrastructure.

These are projects that can be seen, visited and independently assessed.

Today, as Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Umahi is leading the implementation of some of Nigeria’s most significant infrastructure projects under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, the Calabar-Abuja Super Highway and the reconstruction and rehabilitation of strategic federal highways across the federation.

These are not campaign promises. They are ongoing projects visible to every Nigerian.

Mr. Obi has consistently highlighted the savings accumulated during his tenure as Governor of Anambra State as his greatest achievement. Fiscal responsibility is undoubtedly an important aspect of good governance. Equally, however, Nigerians are entitled to examine the physical, institutional and developmental legacies left by every administration and compare them on their merits.

Keeping money in the bank while leaving contractors unpaid and failing to complete meaningful, life-impacting projects cannot, by itself, be regarded as an achievement. Ultimately, leadership is measured by the tangible improvements it delivers to the lives of the people.

For nearly all of his eight-year tenure, Peter Obi governed Anambra State without democratically elected local government chairmen, relying instead on caretaker committees. It was only in January 2014, a few months before leaving office, that he conducted local government elections and inaugurated elected council chairmen.

That was the essence of Senator Umahi’s proposal.

The debate would not have been about personalities or political parties. It would have focused on verifiable outcomes: roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, public institutions, urban renewal, economic development and the lasting impact of governance.

Umahi

One cannot credibly aspire to lead a nation as complex and demanding as Nigeria without a demonstrable record of performance as a governor. Likewise, it is difficult to convince Nigerians that you are prepared to challenge an administration led by a focused and determined President like His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR when you are not even a match and cannot stand a debate with one of the key leaders of that administration on the basis of verifiable performance and achievements.

Nigerians deserve the opportunity to evaluate records.

Senator Umahi has stated that he remains ready to participate in such a debate on any credible platform, convinced that leadership is ultimately measured by the enduring value created for the people.

Francis Nwaze, FIPMD
Senior Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Works, Media
July 12, 2026
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