Akpabio Threatens Legal Action Against Contractor over Faulty NASS Microphones

Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday threatened legal action against the contractor responsible for renovating the National Assembly complex after repeated technical faults disrupted proceedings in both the Senate and House of Representatives chambers.

The warning came during plenary at the National Assembly in Abuja after several senators struggled to use malfunctioning microphones while making contributions to debates. The recurring technical problems interrupted discussions and drew the attention of the Senate President, who expressed dissatisfaction with the condition of the equipment.

Akpabio said the faults had become a source of embarrassment for the legislature, noting that the same problem affected him a day earlier during the opening ceremony of the National Assembly Week at the House of Representatives.

According to him, the contractor that carried out the renovation of the House of Representatives chamber also handled the Senate chamber, making the repeated failures more troubling.

He said the National Assembly would consider taking legal steps if the contractor failed to correct the defects and deliver work that met the required standard. Akpabio maintained that public funds were spent on the renovation and that the completed project should function properly without constant technical issues.

The Senate President also asked lawmakers to take note of the repeated failures, saying the defects witnessed during plenary would serve as evidence if the National Assembly eventually decided to pursue legal action against the contractor.

He added that the decision would be based on the contractor’s inability to provide functional facilities despite completing the renovation work. Akpabio also said lawmakers should remember the repeated disruptions whenever questions arise about any future action taken against the contractor.

The microphone failures have affected legislative proceedings on several occasions, with senators repeatedly pausing their contributions because of equipment that failed to function properly. The latest incident has renewed concerns about the quality of work carried out during the renovation of the National Assembly complex.

With the warning now issued, attention is expected to turn to the contractor to address the technical faults and prevent further disruptions to legislative activities.