Chris Okaeben…Confirmation Halted
The Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday confirmed the nomination of six out of the seven commissioner-nominees sent to it by Governor Monday Okpebholo but declined the screening and confirmation of one of its former members, Chris Okaeben, at the instance of the Department of State Security (DSS) over a petition against him.
Newsmata.com.ng reports that the Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, disclosed this at an emergency plenary session.
The affected nominee, who represented Oredo West Constituency, had been invited to the chamber alongside others for screening and confirmation only to be informed about the development.
Agbebaku told the House that the report from the screening committee before him stated that the former lawmaker had issues to settle with the DSS.
The speaker said, “Six out of the seven commissioner-nominees before us today have been cleared and confirmed, except one, who is our former colleague, Hon Chris Okaeben, who has a question to answer with DSS. So, I think he has to report to the DSS office for clearance.
“That is the report before me. The report is from the screening committee, and I am not a member of the committee. The committee submitted a report.
“After his appearance with the DSS, they can take him and clear him. That is not a problem at all.”
He was, however, silent on the issues contained in the petition that stopped nominee.
Those cleared and confirmed included John Akhigbe, Festus Ebea and Dr Elizabeth Ebosele.
Others were Dr Jerry Uwangue, Dr Kenneth Okoruwa Ihensekhien and Usenbo Paul Ehigie, a lawyer.
