By Jethro Ibileke
The Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday put on hold the screening and confirmation of a former lawmaker, Chris Okaeben, as a commissioner, over an alleged petition against him before the Department of State Service (DSS).
Okaeben, who represented Oredo West Constituency in the past, was among the latest nominees who were invited by the House to screen and confirm.
The Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, disclosed this during an emergency plenary for confirmation of commissioner nominations.
He, however, did not disclose the nature of the petition against the embattled lawmaker.
Agbebaku told the House that the report from the screening committee before him stated that the former lawmaker has issues to settle with the security agency.
He 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.”
Meanwhile, the House has cleared and confirmed six other nominees, namely, John Akhigbe, Festus Ebea, Elizabeth Ebosele, Jerry Uwangue, Kenneth Okoruwa Ihensekhien, and Usenbo Paul Ehigie.
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