There was pandemonium at the National Assembly on Tuesday when protesters, under the aegis of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations stormed the Senate Wing asking the red chamber to reject the ambassadorial nomination of Abayomi Fasina over pending allegations of sexual misconduct against him.
Recall that on June 24, President Bola Tinubu asked the Senate to confirm Fasina’s nomination as a Non-Career Ambassador/High Commissioner.
DAILY POST reports that Fasina is a professor of Soil Science and the outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, FUOYE.
Speaking to newsmen, the convener of the coalition, Amirah Adeyemo, said the protest was not driven by personal grievances but by concerns about Nigeria’s international reputation.
Adeyemo called on the Senate not to allow anyone facing allegations of sexual misconduct to represent Nigeria abroad, noting that the coalition is not asking the Senate to determine Fasina’s guilt but to delay his confirmation until the legal process is concluded.
She further said the coalition would petition the country where Fasina is nominated to serve if the Senate proceeds with his confirmation.
“As concerned Nigerians, we are here to state our plight to the Senate. We are here not because we have any personal vendetta against Professor Fasino Abayomi, but because this has gone beyond just one individual.
“Our call to the Senate is clear, let no one who has such a grave allegation against them, such as sexual misconduct, go forward to represent our country and tarnish the integrity that the nation has built over the years in the global space.
“We are here to call the Senate to listen to our plight. The Senate is not a court. We are not presuming anybody guilty or asking for the senate to prosecute,” she said.
