Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the administration of President Bola Tinubu over its approach to policy formulation, describing it as “reckless experimentation” that disconnected from the realities of ordinary Nigerians.
Reacting to 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), Atiku welcomed the reversal but questioned the administration’s reliance on public backlash to correct its policies.
In a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said the suspension vindicated his earlier warnings that pricing public examinations out of the reach of the poor would worsen the country’s out-of-school children crisis.
“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?” Atiku asked.
“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.”
Atiku noted that the administration has established a “disturbing pattern” of announcing harsh policies with little to no stakeholder consultation, only to retreat when confronted by overwhelming public opposition.
“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 said.
He argued that the proposed fee hike would have erected financial barriers for millions of families already struggling with high inflation, rising transport costs, soaring electricity tariffs, and dwindling purchasing power. He maintained that education must remain a ladder out of poverty rather than a luxury for the privileged.
While commending parents, student groups, labour unions, and civil society organizations for speaking out against the policy, Atiku urged the Federal Government to look beyond temporary suspensions. He called on the administration to engage stakeholders to develop a sustainable funding model for WAEC and NECO that does not place a financial burden on vulnerable families.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Atiku urged Nigerians to treat the policy reversals as a lesson in leadership.
“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,” the statement concluded.
