Peter Obi Backs Suspension of WAEC, NECO Fee Hike, Urges Tinubu Government to Reverse More ‘Harsh’ Policies

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to suspend the recently introduced examination fee hike, describing the reversal as a victory for public advocacy and common sense.

In a statement shared on his official X account on Monday, Obi applauded the government’s decision to halt the policy but insisted that the fees should never have been introduced in the first place, given the economic hardship facing millions of Nigerian families.

The former Anambra State governor said the suspension reflected the impact of sustained public opposition, adding that the proposed charges would have further strained parents already battling rising living costs and inflation.

Obi argued that imposing additional examination fees at the basic education level would have undermined efforts to reduce Nigeria’s growing out-of-school children population. He stressed that education should remain accessible to every child regardless of economic background.

“While I commend the authorities for listening to the widespread public outcry and suspending the policy, it must be said that the fee was an unnecessary burden that should never have been introduced at this time of great hardship, when we should be doing everything possible to invest in basic education and reduce the millions of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

“At a time when many families are struggling to make ends meet, access to education should be expanded, not restricted. Education is a fundamental right and a public good, not a source of government revenue,” Obi stated.

He maintained that governments have a constitutional and moral obligation to invest in education rather than create financial barriers that could discourage school enrolment. According to him, introducing multiple fees at the foundational level of education risks denying many children their right to quality learning.

Obi also urged the Federal Government to reassess other policies that have increased the cost of living for ordinary Nigerians, saying leaders should always be willing to reverse decisions that impose unnecessary hardship on citizens.

He concluded by thanking parents, civil society organisations, education advocates and Nigerians whose collective opposition, he said, contributed to the suspension of the examination fee policy.