Despite a N38 billion renovation completed between 2022 and 2024, the National Assembly’s White House home to Nigeria’s Senate and House of Representatives is again under scrutiny following reports of flooding during heavy rainfall on Friday, April 25.
The incident, which revealed significant water accumulation inside the chambers, has reignited concerns about the quality and effectiveness of the high-cost renovation.
Olalekan Adebiyi, Managing Director of Laralek Ultimate Construction Company (parent company of Visible Construction), strongly denied any roof leakage during a phone interview with National Assembly correspondents on Saturday.
An online publication had earlier alleged that the renovation failed during the storm, quoting unnamed staff who accused the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) of compromising standards by hiring Visible Construction instead of more experienced firms like Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.
Describing the report as “baseless” and motivated by “bad belle,” Adebiyi insisted the roof remained intact. He attributed the flooding to rainwater entering through smaller windows near the top of the building, not through the roof itself.
“We inspected and confirmed that the roof was not compromised. The flooding resulted from ingress through smaller upper windows,” Adebiyi explained, noting that the project used Amothene, a waterproof material imported from the U.S., which he claims remains in perfect condition.
He also criticized the report for lacking photographic evidence and called it “unprofessional and unethical.”
“The report is fake. We delivered a solid job and are confident more rain will prove the integrity of our work,” Adebiyi emphasized.
The FCDA awarded the N38 billion contract in 2021 to resolve issues such as roof leaks, outdated facilities, poor furniture, and faulty audio systems. However, Friday’s rainfall suggests that many of these problems may still persist, stirring public debate over the renovation’s quality and oversight.
