The Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday withheld the confirmation of a former lawmaker, Hon. Chris Okaeben, as commissioner following revelations of a petition pending against him with the Department of State Services (DSS).
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, made the announcement during an emergency plenary session convened for the screening and confirmation of commissioner-nominees.
Out of the seven names presented, six were successfully cleared. They include John Akhigbe, Festus Ebea, Dr. Elizabeth Ebosele, Dr. Jerry Uwangue, Dr. Kenneth Okoruwa Ihensekhien, and Barr. Usenbo Paul Ehigie.
Okaeben, who previously represented Oredo West Constituency in the Assembly, was stood down after the screening committee advised the House to await his clearance by the DSS.
“Six out of the seven commissioner-nominees before us today have been cleared and confirmed, except one, our former colleague, Hon. Chris Okaeben, who has a question to answer with the DSS,” Agbebaku declared on the floor of the House.
The Speaker emphasized that Okaeben must report to the DSS for proper clearance before his nomination could be reconsidered, but did not disclose the nature of the petition.
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