The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has suspended the screening of Yakubu Kwanta, the immediate past Commissioner for Environment, due to his failure to appear before the House Committee on Environment to defend his ministry’s 2024 budget performance.

The lawmakers described his failure to attend as a clear act of insubordination to the institution that had confirmed him as commissioner twice.

The suspension was raised by Muhammed Adamu Omadefu, the member representing Keana Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, during the screening of commissioner nominees at the Assembly complex in Lafia on Monday.

Omadefu stated that the House would only consider Kwanta’s screening if he submitted a formal apology for his actions while serving as commissioner.

Daily Trust reports that Kwanta’s screening was suspended when he and seven other commissioner nominees appeared for their screenings. Speaker Danladi Jatau affirmed that the assembly would not tolerate any government official undermining the authority of the House.

“Yakubu Kwanta must submit a strong apology letter to the House for his insubordination before we will consider his screening,” the speaker said.

Meanwhile, the House has screened 7 out of 16 commissioner nominees submitted by Governor Abdullahi Sule on February 10, for approval as members of the State Executive Council.