Senate President Godswill Akpabio has threatened legal action against the contractor responsible for renovating the National Assembly complex over repeated technical failures affecting the microphones in the both chambers of the legislature.
Akpabio issued the warning during plenary on Wednesday after several senators struggled to contribute to debates due to malfunctioning microphones.
Expressing frustration over the recurring faults, the Senate President described the situation as an embarrassment to the National Assembly and Nigeria, noting that the issue had persisted despite previous concerns.
He urged lawmakers to take note of the repeated breakdowns, stating that the records would support any legal steps taken against the contractor.
“Distinguished colleagues, I hope you are taking note of the fact that our microphones are not working well. You are taking note of it because I intend to take action,” Akpabio said.
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He recalled a similar experience during his visit to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, where he said both himself and the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, were embarrassed by related technical challenges.
“I was in the House of Representatives yesterday to represent you at the opening of the National Assembly Week and, in the course of it, the Speaker and I were thoroughly embarrassed. The same contractor that handled the renovation of the House of Representatives handled this one,” he stated.
The Senate President stressed that public institutions must receive value for money spent on major projects, warning that persistent failures would not be overlooked.
“If this continues, we have steps we can take legally to ensure that a good job is done because this is an embarrassment to our nation,” he added.
The National Assembly complex underwent renovation works aimed at improving facilities and infrastructure within the legislative chambers. However, recurring complaints about technical faults, particularly with audio systems, have continued to draw criticism from lawmakers.
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