Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has welcomed the suspension of the newly introduced examination fees, describing the decision as “a victory for the Nigerian people.”

In a statement, Obi commended the authorities for responding to widespread public opposition but argued that the policy should never have been introduced, especially amid the country’s current economic hardship.

He said imposing examination fees at the basic education level would have placed an unnecessary burden on struggling families and risked denying many children access to education. According to him, education is a fundamental right and public good that should be expanded rather than used as a source of government revenue.

Obi urged the government to prioritise investment in basic education and efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children, stressing that the state has a responsibility to remove, not create, barriers to education.

He also said the reversal demonstrated that good leadership includes the willingness to reconsider policies that impose hardship on citizens, adding that other “anti-people” policies should receive similar review.

Obi thanked citizens, parents and advocacy groups whose advocacy contributed to the suspension of the examination fees, reiterating his message that “A New Nigeria is Possible.”