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Atiku Hails Suspension Of WAEC, NECO Fee Hike, Slams Tinubu Over….
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 Senior School Certificate Examination(WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council(NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination(SSCE), describing the move as a victory for Nigerian students, parents and civil society groups.
However, Atiku criticised the President Bola Tinubu administration for what he called a pattern of introducing unpopular policies without adequate consultation, saying Nigeria “is not a laboratory for reckless policy experiments.”
The federal government had on Monday suspended the proposed review of registration fees for the 2027 WASSCE, NECO SSCE, following widespread public criticism over the planned increase.
The decision was announced by the Federal Ministry of Education in a statement signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Boriowo Folasade, who said the June 18, 2026 letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment had been withdrawn to allow for broader consultations with stakeholders before any final decision is taken.
The ministry explained that the proposed increase was driven by rising costs associated with conducting credible national examinations but noted that the government remained committed to ensuring access to quality education through inclusive and evidence-based policymaking.
Reacting in a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the government’s reversal vindicated his earlier warning that increasing examination fees would further widen educational inequality and deny many indigent students access to higher education.
“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?” he said.
According to the former vice president, governance should not be based on trial and error.
“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 stated.
Atiku argued that the Tinubu administration had developed a pattern of announcing harsh policies with little consultation, only to reverse them after sustained public backlash.
“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,” he said.
He added that effective leadership requires anticipating the consequences of public policies before implementation rather than relying on citizens’ protests to identify policy shortcomings.
“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,” Atiku said.
The ADC presidential candidate warned that the proposed examination fee increase would have placed an additional financial burden on families already grappling with inflation, high transportation costs, rising electricity tariffs and declining purchasing power.
President Bola Tinubu has approved N45 billion for the deployment of an integrated biosecurity and disease surveillance system at five international airports to boost Nigeria’s capacity to detect and respond to emerging infectious disease threats.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, disclosed this on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Tinubu.
He listed the five airports as Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Enugu airports.
According to the minister, the project will be delivered through a 20-year public-private partnership with the BioHealth Consortium, using technologies such as aircraft wastewater surveillance, air and surface sampling, and specialised pathogen detection systems
Pate added that the system would monitor a broad range of dangerous pathogens, improve inter-agency coordination, and strengthen health security at Nigeria’s borders.
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed N70,000 monthly wage award for federal workers, insisting that the government can afford to increase the salary of the lowest-paid worker to N300,000.
The proposal followed a meeting between the Federal Government and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.
In a statement signed by its President-General, Festus Osifo, and Secretary, Nuhu Toro, the TUC said workers needed a meaningful salary increase rather than temporary financial support that might not reach everyone.
The union also called for the implementation of the agreement with the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, citing the economic difficulties facing workers and other Nigerians.
“Our position is unequivocal: workers are not asking for favours; they are demanding social and economic justice that protects their dignity and livelihoods,” the statement said.
The TUC argued that the previous wage award introduced in October 2023 was not fully implemented before a new minimum wage was agreed in 2024.
According to the union, some workers were paid for only one or two months, while others received nothing.
It also criticised the irregular payment of the earlier N40,000 wage award, saying some workers received payments covering up to four months but not on a consistent monthly basis.
The union further claimed that more than 80 per cent of state governments and the informal sector did not implement any form of wage award.
It questioned why the government was proposing another temporary payment when previous commitments remained unfulfilled.
“How can workers be expected to trust fresh promises when previous obligations remain outstanding?” the TUC asked.
The union maintained that a salary increase would provide more reliable support than a temporary wage award, particularly as workers continue to struggle with rising living costs.
It said negotiations over a new national minimum wage should not prevent the government from granting an urgent pay rise.
The TUC also stressed that the economic crisis was affecting more than federal employees. State and local government workers, pensioners, private-sector employees and people working in the informal economy were also facing higher costs for food, transport, healthcare and other basic needs.
It urged governments at all levels to take practical steps to reduce the cost of essential goods and services, pay salaries and pensions on time, protect existing jobs and tackle exploitative labour practices.
The union also called for renewed efforts to strengthen the productive sector and create decent employment opportunities.
The Special Adviser to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Publicity, Ahmad Aruwa, has appointed his son, Aliyu Ahmed, as Chief of Staff.
His son is among the five persons whose appointments were announced on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
Other appointees are Habibu Liman as Private Secretary; Adamu Mai Salati as Protocol Officer; Isa Ahmed Don as Director-General, Media and Communication; and Musa Muhammad Daurawa as Personal Assistant.
In his remarks after receiving the appointment letter, Aruwa pledged to justify the confidence reposed in him by the governor through dedication, loyalty and commitment to duty.
“Let me categorically make it clear that my leader is Abba, my political boss is Abba, and my political party is Abba.”
He added that he would work tirelessly for the governor and support his success at all levels.
Aruwa also commended his media team for their support and commitment, expressing confidence that they would continue to work together to promote the policies, programmes and achievements of the Kano State Government.
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