The Edo State House of Assembly has confirmed Chris Ewere Okaeban as Commissioner to be appointed to the State Executive Council, nearly three months after his screening was rejected.
Naijaonpoint recalls that the House had, on September 30, 2025, refused to screen and confirm Okeban as commissioner to be appointed to the State Executive Council following an alleged petition to the Department of State Services (DSS).
During plenary, while confirming the six other nominees, the Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, said that the screening committee’s report before him stated that Chris Okaeben, a former member of the House, was not cleared because he had outstanding issues with the DSS.
However, on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, at the plenary sitting, the Governor sent a letter to the House requesting it to conclude Okaeban’s screening and confirmation.
The letter dated December 22, 2025 and titled “Request for the confirmation of Commissioner-designate” was signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, and addressed to the Speaker of the House.
According to the letter, Governor Monday Okpehbolo urged the lawmakers to conclude the screening process and affect Chris Okaeben’s confirmation.
Following the Governor’s request, the House, however, screened and confirmed him as the 27th commissioner in the state cabinet.
The letter read in part, “Sequel to the non-conclusion of the screening of Hon. Christopher Ewere Okaeben as Commissioner-designate for Edo State by the House of Assembly, I write to formally convey the request of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, that the Honourable House consider the nominee with a view to concluding the screening process and effecting his confirmation.”