Senate Confirms Ambassador Nominee Despite Protests Over Allegations

Nigeria's Senate has confirmed Professor Abayomi Fasina as a non-career ambassadorial designate, overriding protests from civil society groups. The confirmation followed the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs. Although some senators opposed his clearance, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Abdul Ningi supported the nomination. Senator Cyril Fasuyi, a committee member, surprisingly spoke against the confirmation despite having initially signed off on it. The committee's report indicated that investigations by the University Governing Council and the Nigeria Police found the accusations against Professor Fasina to be false. Senate President Akpabio emphasized that the committee had received reports from the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the university council, urging senators to treat their assignments with seriousness and avoid relying on hearsay. Earlier, on July 7, a coalition of civil society organizations had demonstrated at the National Assembly, urging the Senate not to confirm Fasina. They cited allegations of sexual harassment, human rights violations, and victimisation, noting pending cases before the National Industrial Court. The coalition argued that the judicial process should conclude before any confirmation. Amira Adeyemo, a lawyer representing the coalition, stated that their protest was driven by a desire to protect Nigeria's integrity and uphold justice, not personal animosity.

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that the accusation against Professor Fasina was investigated by competent authorities including the University Governing Council and the Nigeria Police, which both found the allegation false.