Civil society organisations under the aegis of Womanifesto have faulted the Senate’s confirmation of former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, as an ambassador, alleging that the upper chamber ignored petitions, pending court cases and an ongoing investigation concerning the nominee.
The groups, in a petition signed by Womanifesto Co-Convener, Wumi Asubiaro-Dada, described the confirmation as a “charade of shame” and called on the Federal Government to withdraw Fasina’s appointment pending the resolution of the allegations against him.
The petition, which raised concerns about two sexual harassment-related cases allegedly pending before the National Industrial Court in Abuja and Lagos, also faulted the reasons reportedly advanced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio for the confirmation.
According to the CSOs, the Senate President argued that Fasina’s state of origin and constituency was Lagos State and that there was no opposition to his nomination from the state.
They also said the Senate relied on the absence of a petition substantiating the sexual harassment allegations, the presumption of innocence in Fasina’s favour, as well as purported clearance by the police and FUOYE Governing Council.
The organisations, however, rejected the arguments, describing the basis of the confirmation as “erroneous” and an “affront to the tenets of democracy and the protection of the dignity of women.”
They specifically disputed the claim that Fasina was from Lagos State, saying that although he had schooled extensively in the state, he was from Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
“Undoubtedly, Prof Sunday Abayomi Fasina is from Abeokuta, Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State. While he may have schooled extensively in Lagos State, his state of origin remains Ogun State,” the petition stated.
The CSOs also said the Senate was aware of petitions concerning the nominee, contrary to the claim that no petition containing substantive evidence of the allegations had been submitted.
They said petitions dated June 25 and 29, 2026, containing details of the cases before the National Industrial Court in Abuja and Lagos, as well as documentary evidence and a 37-minute audio recording, were submitted to the Senate.
The groups identified one of the cases as Suit No. NICN/ABJ/201/2025, instituted by a female staff member of FUOYE who allegedly accused Fasina of sexual harassment.
They claimed the case included a 37-minute recording in which Fasina allegedly made advances towards the woman.
The petition quoted part of the alleged conversation, in which the speaker said: “I’m dying for you, I’m dying for you inside, I’m really dying inside. I don’t do this kind of thing, but if someone is in love with someone, as you can see me, I’m thinking about you, I can’t even sleep.”
The CSOs stressed that the allegations were before the court, but argued that their existence should have prompted greater scrutiny before the ambassadorial confirmation.
They also cited Suit No. NICN/LA/61/2025, involving another female staff member who allegedly accused Fasina of harassment and victimisation after she declined what she considered inappropriate advances.
According to the petition, the woman alleged that she was subsequently denied promotion and that her employment was eventually terminated while the dispute was before the court.
The organisations argued that the allegations raised questions about Fasina’s suitability for an ambassadorial position, which they said demanded a high degree of integrity and public confidence.
“Ambassadorial appointments are public trust appointments requiring the highest standards of integrity and public confidence,” the petition stated.
“Such appointments necessarily require technical competence, as well as unquestionable public credibility, ethical standing, and the confidence of both domestic and international stakeholders.”
The groups further rejected the Senate’s reliance on an alleged police clearance, arguing that the police could not determine with finality whether an individual was culpable of sexual harassment.
They alleged that the police report did not completely address the workplace sexual harassment allegation, but rather dismissed an allegation of physical sexual assault, which they said was distinct from workplace harassment.
“The court and not the police have the constitutional right to clear a citizen of sexual harassment allegations. Only the court has the power to do so with finality,” the petition stated.
The CSOs also questioned the alleged clearance of Fasina by a panel constituted by FUOYE, arguing that the composition of the panel raised concerns about its independence.
They alleged that four of the eight members were FUOYE employees, including the secretary, and claimed that some of the external members were allies of the former vice-chancellor.
The organisations said the panel’s finding against one of the complainants was based on technicalities, including the argument that she did not petition the university’s governing council herself and that she recorded Fasina without his consent.
According to the petition, the panel did not adequately address the substantive allegation that the complainant had received unwanted advances and was subsequently victimised.
The groups also challenged the Senate’s reported claim that the alleged victims failed to appear before the screening committee.
They maintained that the victims and civil society organisations that submitted petitions were never invited to appear before the Senate Committee.
“Having never been invited, it is legally and factually impossible to conclude that the victims ‘failed to appear,’” the petition stated.
The organisations argued that the Senate’s failure to hear from the complainants undermined the fairness of the confirmation process, particularly given the principle of fair hearing guaranteed under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.
They alleged that the Senate relied largely on Fasina’s representations without providing the alleged victims an opportunity to present their evidence.
The petition further cited the case of Engr. Folasade Adebayo, one of the alleged victims, who the organisations said had pursued accountability through the House of Representatives Committee on University Education.
According to them, following a 2025 decision by the FUOYE Governing Council dismissing the allegations against Fasina, Adebayo petitioned the House committee and submitted more than 100 pages of documentary evidence.
The organisations said she travelled from Ekiti State to Abuja on May 14, 2025, ahead of a hearing scheduled for the following day, but was subsequently informed that the hearing had been postponed indefinitely because Fasina had not responded to the committee’s invitation.
The CSOs therefore rejected the suggestion that the complainant had failed to pursue legislative redress.
“The documentary evidence demonstrates precisely the opposite: she honoured every invitation extended to her, whereas Professor Fasina failed to cooperate with the investigative process before the House of Representatives,” they stated.
The organisations further alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) commenced an investigation in 2025 into allegations bordering on abuse of office and sexual harassment involving Fasina following petitions submitted by civil society groups.
They claimed that Fasina subsequently approached the court and obtained an order restraining the commission from proceeding with the investigation, adding that the matter remained pending.
The CSOs consequently accused the Senate of failing to carry out adequate due diligence before confirming the nominee.
They said the Senate could have sought clarification from the ICPC on the status of its investigation or contacted the House committee to ascertain the status of its proceedings.
“As the constitutional body responsible for scrutinising presidential nominees for some of the highest public offices in the country, the Senate owed Nigerians a duty to undertake reasonable due diligence,” they said.
They added that the failure to verify information available from the ICPC, House of Representatives and civil society organisations raised “serious concerns about whether the confirmation process met the standard of diligence, fairness and accountability expected of the Nigerian Senate.”
The organisations urged the Federal Government to reconsider Fasina’s appointment, insisting that public appointments, particularly ambassadorial positions, should be subjected to a higher standard of scrutiny.
“Public appointments, particularly ambassadorial appointments, demand more than the absence of a criminal conviction,” they said.
“They require public confidence, ethical credibility and demonstrable respect for accountability processes.”
The groups warned that confirming a nominee while judicial proceedings and investigations remained unresolved, and without hearing from those who submitted evidence, could undermine public confidence in the Senate’s oversight function and send “a dangerous signal to survivors of workplace sexual harassment.”
The petition was signed by Asubiaro-Dada on behalf of Womanifesto.
