The Registrar of the West African Examinations Council WAEC, Dr. Uyi Uwadiae, has denied reports that he had advised the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, to retake the WAEC examination following her gaffe at the House of Representatives when she summed up N16 billion and N6 billion and said it gave a total of N24 billion.
Some online media had quoted Uwadiae saying, “I think somebody needs to resit her WAEC mathematics examination. And we in WAEC have offered to give her a free WAEC form in this respect.”
A statement yesterday by the spokesperson of WAEC, Abiodun Aduloju, however denied the claim. “The attention of The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has been drawn to the falsehood going round on some social media attributing to its Registrar, Dr. Iyi Uwadiae, comments that constitute a personal insult to the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun.
“The publication is worrisome and embarrassing to WAEC, as the registrar did not make the statement credited to him and could not have responded as purported to an allegation in which the name of his organisation was not mentioned.”
Aduloju added that the registrar does not even reside in Nigeria and had not granted a press interview or engaged in an informal chat with any Nigerian media representative or authorised anyone to speak on his behalf concerning the minister’s statement.
“Dr. Uwadiae is an experienced public personality and seasoned diplomat, who holds sacrosanct the entrenched culture of mutual understanding and respect that exists among all operatives and representatives of the governments of the five member countries of the council,” the statement added.
WAEC appealed to the originators, peddlers and transmitters of the provocative and malicious publication to desist from their “dastardly act”, which it said sought to cause disaffection between two notable citizens of Nigeria and destroy the 64-year-old collaboration between WAEC and the Nigerian government.
“We wish to use this opportunity to renew to the Minister of Finance the assurances of the council’s highest consideration and esteem,” the council said.
