Senate clears Fasina for ambassadorial role despite protests

The Senate on Thursday confirmed Prof Abayomi Fasina as a non-career ambassador-designate despite protests by some civil society organisations over his nomination.

The confirmation followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Sani Bello (APC, Niger North).

Presenting the report, the committee’s vice chairman, Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South), urged the Senate to approve Fasina’s nomination for appointment as a non-career ambassador/high commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He said, “That the Senate do receive and consider the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the confirmation of the nomination of Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina for appointment as Non-Career Ambassador/High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Debate on the report divided lawmakers, with some senators opposing the nomination, while others, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), backed the committee’s recommendation.

Cyril Fasuyi (APC, Ekiti North), who is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and signed the report recommending Fasina’s confirmation, also raised objections during plenary.

However, the committee maintained that allegations against the nominee had already been investigated by the relevant authorities, including the university’s governing council and the Nigeria Police Force, which found no evidence to support the claims.

The report stated, “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.”

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Backing the committee’s recommendation, Akpabio said lawmakers should be guided by verified facts rather than allegations.

He commended the committee for relying on reports from the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services and the university’s governing council in reaching its conclusion.

“Honourable senators, we must take our assignments with respect and must not rely on hearsay,” Akpabio said.

Fasina’s confirmation comes a week after a coalition of civil society organisations staged a protest at the National Assembly, calling on the Senate to suspend consideration of his nomination.

The protesters, operating under the banner of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, urged lawmakers to halt the confirmation over allegations of sexual harassment, human rights violations and victimisation, which they claimed are the subject of pending court cases.

Addressing journalists during the protest, a legal practitioner, Adeyemo Amira, who spoke on behalf of the coalition, said Fasina had pending cases before the National Industrial Court in Lagos and Abuja.

Amira insisted that the protest was not motivated by personal grievances but urged the Senate to allow the courts to determine the matters before confirming the nominee.

President Bola Tinubu had recently transmitted a list of ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation as part of efforts to fill Nigeria’s diplomatic missions, many of which had remained vacant for months.