From Fred Itua, Abuja

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has said the reported roof leakage at the National Assembly has vindicated its request for the approval of N37 billion for the renovation of the complex.

Lawan stated this in his remarks on two Points of Order raised by Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi, during plenary, yesterday.

He had raised Points of Order 14 and 15 of the Senate Standing Rule in reaction to a report credited to a news medium on “roof leakage of the National Assembly complex.”

The National Assembly, was on Tuesday, thrown into chaos, following a massive leakage in the roof of the building housing the chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It obstructed Senate plenary session

In his remarks, Lawan said media reports that the money had been approved and siphoned by the leadership of the National Assembly was false.

He explained how they secured President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval to ensure the dilapidated structure was fixed immediately.

“The fact that there was a leakage, to me it is a clear testimony, confirmation and vindication of the position the National Assembly took initially.

“By the time we came into office and our endorsement, the Speaker and I found it necessary to go round this Senate and we found out dilapidation and degradation.

“In fact, anyone who sees what we have here knows that this place is overdue for rehabilitation. It is even worse downstairs.

“So, we complained to the president that there is the need to rehabilitate and renovate the National Assembly complex after in use for about 20 years and not rehabilitated at all.

“The president was gracious and he asked us to come back, engage the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) who are the owners of this building and the technical side of the National Assembly and some contractors to come up with what we need to rehabilitate here and the cost.

“In fact, I fought against the initial submissions because I was to take the document directly to the President.

“When I saw what they were bringing, I say there was no way I could take that to Mr President, go and rework until they came up with N37 billion and I took that to the president.

“For emphasis, when we approved the budget of N37 billion for the rehabilitation of this complex, it was not a National Assembly budget, it was an FCDA budget, we have nothing to do with this,’’ Lawan said.

Twenty four hours after an early morning downpour flooded the lobby of the two chambers of the National Assembly, Acting Executive Secretary of FCDA, Mrs Zalihau Ahmed, said all the necessary paperwork had been concluded, but said the delayed approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), was hampering the take off of the work.

Mrs Ahmed said a no objection from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) had already been given, paving the way for the take off of the old structure.

“We are aware of the leakage that happened on Tuesday in the National Assembly. Everything is in the table. The National Assembly approved the N37 billion in the 2020 budget. We have done everything. We have also gotten a no objection from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

“But we can’t proceed until the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approves the contract. As soon as they approve the contract, full renovation work will commence. As you know, we can’t award a contract of that nature without an approval from FEC. So, we are aware and on top of the matter.”