The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Complex has remained largely idle for nine months after lawmakers and staff vacated the premises for a rehabilitation project, even as the state government pushes ahead with tourism projects carrying a combined budgetary provision of ₦248.83 billion.
A visit to the assembly complex on August 7 found no construction activity. Equipment, including a mobile crane and concrete mixer previously seen at the site, remained in place but was not being operated. The complex was substantially unchanged from an earlier inspection in June.
The stalled rehabilitation has received ₦15.47 billion in budgetary provisions across 2025 and 2026 — ₦2.95 billion in the revised 2025 budget and another ₦12.52 billion in 2026.
Governor Umo Eno first raised concerns about the condition of the complex during a visit on July 1, 2024, promising its rehabilitation. The project eventually began after lawmakers and staff were directed to vacate the premises on October 27, 2025.
A representative of the contractor later told the House Services Committee that the project had been mobilised and that equipment had been deployed. A six-month completion timeline was given, meaning the deadline expired in April 2026.
More than three months after that deadline, however, the work remains incomplete.
The section where the roof was removed remains exposed to the elements, while no construction workers were seen during the August visit. Security personnel were present on the premises, and the football field was being used for a match.
Lawmakers Blame Funding Delays
Two lawmakers contacted over the delay said they had informally engaged the contractor and were repeatedly told that funding was responsible.
One described the situation as embarrassing, saying the legislature had remained under lock for more than nine months while the governor had not appeared to treat the matter as a priority.
The lawmaker said plenary sessions had also been affected, with legislative business postponed after the assembly stopped holding plenary.
Another lawmaker expressed concern that the prolonged closure could become politically difficult as the 2027 elections approach, particularly because the assembly remains dependent on the executive for funding.
The lawmakers currently operate from the Government House, while the assembly and Assembly Service Commission had previously relocated their offices to Luton Park Hotel, Uyo, pending completion of the rehabilitation. The cost of the temporary arrangement has not been disclosed.
The lawmakers have not held plenary since July 7.
Contractor Questions Remain
Questions have also emerged over the identity of the contractor handling the rehabilitation.
A relocation circular identified JDP Construction Nigeria Limited as the contractor, while project signage at the assembly complex identified CLAD Construction Nigeria Limited. Representatives of CLAD Construction also appeared before the House Services Committee to brief lawmakers.
CLAD Construction was incorporated on December 7, 2024, less than a year before the rehabilitation project commenced, according to the report.
No procurement information relating to the project was found on the state’s electronic procurement portal, despite provisions requiring procurement information to be routinely published.
The unresolved issues now extend beyond the construction delay to questions about the contractor’s identity and capacity, procurement process, payments, project scope and funding.
Separate ₦300m Provision Raises Questions
The state’s 2026 budget contains another ₦300 million provision under the Ministry of Special Duties for the “Rehabilitation/Repairs of equipment at the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Complex.”
It is unclear whether the allocation is connected to the main rehabilitation project or represents a separate intervention. The government has not explained the relationship between the two provisions.
The additional provision comes after the assembly rehabilitation had already received ₦15.47 billion in budgetary allocations across 2025 and 2026.
Tourism Projects Move Ahead
The stalled assembly rehabilitation stands in sharp contrast to construction activity at nearby tourism and hospitality projects.
During the August 7 visit, workers were seen at the 14-storey Ibom International Hotel, International Convention Centre and ARISE Shopping City. Workers said construction at the hotel was continuing day and night ahead of a September commissioning deadline set by the governor.
The three projects form part of the state government’s plan to develop a tourism ecosystem in Uyo, including a 200-room hotel and a 5,000-capacity convention centre.
Budget documents show the three projects have received a combined ₦248.83 billion in budgetary provisions across 2025 and 2026.
The Ibom International Hotel received ₦50 billion in 2025 and ₦11.33 billion in 2026. The International Convention Centre received ₦70 billion in 2025 and ₦50 billion in 2026, while ARISE Shopping City received ₦10 billion in 2025 and ₦50 billion in 2026.
Another ₦7.5 billion was approved in 2026 for an access road and gatehouse into the Ibom Tropicana complex and the completion of internal roads.
The projects occupy the large property previously developed as the Ibom Tropicana Entertainment Centre under former Governor Godswill Akpabio.
That project, launched in 2008, was designed to include a 14-storey hotel, convention centre, shopping mall, cinema and theme park. Its estimated cost initially stood at ₦33 billion but later rose to about ₦120 billion, according to people familiar with the project.
Governor Eno has since sought to revive and redesign parts of the property as part of his administration’s tourism strategy.
Revenue Raises More Questions
The delay at the assembly complex comes as Akwa Ibom’s public revenue has increased significantly under the Eno administration.
An analysis of official financial records found that the state received ₦2.53 trillion between May 2023 and December 2025, while a subsequent analysis put the administration’s revenue at ₦2.934 trillion in 38 months.
The scale of revenue has intensified questions over why the assembly rehabilitation remains stalled without a clear explanation from the government.
Umo Isuaikoh, coordinator of Peace Point Development Foundation, said the prolonged closure raised concerns about the government’s commitment to the effective functioning of democratic institutions.
“The legislature is not simply another government office that can operate indefinitely from an alternative location,” he said.
Isuaikoh called for the government to publicly disclose the project’s status, funds committed, contractor, original completion timeline and reasons for the delay.
Government Yet To Explain Delay
Officials responsible for the project did not provide explanations for the prolonged delay.
The Head of Operations of the Direct Labour Committee, Morgan Ekanem, declined to comment, while the committee’s secretary, Sylvester Edem, did not return subsequent calls or respond to a media enquiry.
The Commissioners for Information and Finance also did not respond to calls or enquiries. The Finance Commissioner also supervises the Ministry of Special Duties.
CLAD Construction could not be reached for comment.
Questions sent to the government included why the project remained unfinished nine months after commencement, when officials realised the six-month deadline would not be met, whether funding, procurement, materials, scope changes or technical difficulties caused the delay, and what the new completion date was.
For now, the assembly complex remains locked, equipment deployed for the rehabilitation sits idle, and lawmakers are expected to continue operating from the Government House when they resume.
Just metres away, workers are advancing projects backed by ₦248.83 billion in budgetary provisions.
The contrasting pace of the projects has left unanswered questions over why the rehabilitation of a key institution of state democracy has stalled for nine months despite a six-month completion promise and more than ₦15 billion in budgetary provisions.
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