Senate Confirms Ex-FUOYE VC as Ambassador Despite Sexual Harassment Allegations

• The Senate has confirmed former FUOYE Vice-Chancellor Prof. Abayomi Fasina as a non-career ambassador despite objections over past sexual harassment allegations.

The Senate on Thursday confirmed the nomination of Prof. Abayomi Fasina, former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), as a non-career ambassador, despite a heated debate over previous sexual harassment allegations against him.

The confirmation followed the presentation of a report by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, delivered by Sen. Simon Lalong on behalf of the committee’s chairman, Sen. Sani Bello.

Lalong told lawmakers that the committee received petitions both supporting and opposing Fasina’s nomination but found that the allegations had already been investigated by the FUOYE Governing Council and the Nigeria Police Force, with both clearing the former vice-chancellor of wrongdoing.

He also disclosed that Fasina had received security clearance from the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police, prompting the committee to recommend his confirmation.

“With all these clearances, the nominee performed wonderfully well,” Lalong said.

However, the recommendation was opposed by Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, who argued that confirming Fasina before the matter was fully resolved in court would send the wrong message.

According to Oshiomhole, approving the nomination could be perceived as insensitive to women who make allegations of sexual harassment.

Sen. Cyril Fasuyi, representing Ekiti North and a member of the committee, also urged caution, insisting the complainant had not received justice and calling for additional scrutiny of the case.

In response, Lalong maintained that no court documents or evidence of any pending legal proceedings were presented to the committee during its deliberations.

“It is not every allegation that will stop the proceedings of the Senate,” he said.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio defended the committee’s recommendation, noting that the complainant neither appeared before the committee nor submitted evidence to support the allegations.

He added that suspending the confirmation based solely on allegations would violate the constitutional principle of the presumption of innocence.

Also contributing, Sen. Abdul Ningi stated that the Senate’s constitutional responsibility was limited to assessing a nominee’s qualifications and determining whether they had any criminal convictions, rather than adjudicating unresolved allegations.

Following the debate, Akpabio put the nomination to a voice vote, after which the Senate overwhelmingly approved Fasina’s appointment as a non-career ambassador and high commissioner.