The Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aondoaver Berger Alfred Emberga, has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the contractor handling the renovation of the Assembly Complex to complete the project or face investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Rt. Hon. Emberga gave the warning on Wednesday, October 16, 2025, during an inspection of the renovation work alongside other members of the House. The lawmakers discovered that the contractor had abandoned the site, leaving the Assembly complex under lock and key despite receiving full payment for the project.
Describing the situation as “unacceptable and detrimental” to legislative operations, the Speaker expressed disappointment over the slow pace of work, noting that lawmakers currently sit on plastic chairs during plenary sessions due to the contractor’s negligence.
He warned that if the contractor fails to complete and hand over the renovated complex by the end of October, the House would have no choice but to petition the EFCC and ICPC for fraud-related investigations.
According to a statement issued by Michael Zape, Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, the Assembly may also summon officials of the Ministry of Works to produce the contract documents for a comprehensive review of the project’s specifications and financial details.
Rt. Hon. Emberga stressed that the Benue State House of Assembly intends to receive and deliberate on the 2026 budget presentation from the Executive Governor in a fully completed and functional legislative chamber.
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