By Ayodele Oni
The nomination of Prof Abayomi Fasina, immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, (FUOYE), as an Ambassador, by President Bola Tinubu is under threat. Over 200 women organizations moved against the nomination.
Over 200 Women, Civil Society Groups have urged the senate to suspend Fasina’s Ambassadorial confirmation over pending court cases and other unresolved issues while he was serving as VC.
They have petitioned the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on the nomination.
They urged the committee to decline the confirmation of former FUOYE VC as Nigeria’s ambassador pending the determination of ongoing criminal and civil cases against him.
The petition, dated June 25, 2026, was addressed to Senate President, Godswill Akpabio through the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello.
Signed by Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Co-convener of Womanifesto, on behalf of over 200 organisations and prominent advocates, the petition argued that confirming Fasina while legal proceedings remain pending would undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s accountability institutions and damage the country’s international image.
The coalition revealed that Prof Fasina is facing unresolved allegations bordering on sexual harassment, abuse of office, victimisation, human rights violations and workplace intimidation.
It added that criminal proceedings instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), as well as civil matters before the National Industrial Court, are still before competent courts.
According to the petitioners, ambassadorial appointments require individuals of “the highest standards of integrity and impeccable conduct,” stressing that unresolved allegations of such magnitude should be fully determined before any confirmation process proceeds.
They noted that one of the allegations involves an alleged se*ual harassment complaint reportedly supported by a 37-minute audio recording, while other legal proceedings relate to workplace victimisation and abuse of authority.
The petitioners also referenced an earlier judgment against the administration led by Prof Fasina in a National Industrial Court case, which, according to the groups, found that the university breached an employee’s right to a fair hearing and awarded damages against the institution.
The organisations maintained that although every accused person is entitled to the constitutional presumption of innocence, the Senate’s constitutional oversight role extends beyond criminal liability to assessing whether nominees possess the integrity, character and public confidence required for high public office.
According to them, confirming an ambassadorial nominee, that is facing unresolved criminal and civil proceedings could weaken public trust in anti-corruption institutions and send the wrong message about Nigeria’s commitment to combating se*ual harassment, gender-based violence and abuse of authority.
The petitioners cited Nigeria’s obligations under the Constitution, including provisions safeguarding human dignity and freedom from discrimination, as well as international commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
They urged the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs to suspend consideration of Prof Fasina’s nomination until all pending judicial proceedings have been concluded.
“The issue before this Committee concerns public confidence in the rule of law. It concerns the credibility of Nigeria’s commitment to accountability, human rights, gender equality and institutional integrity.”
The organisations said delaying the confirmation would demonstrate the Senate’s commitment to transparency, accountability and due process while preserving public confidence in democratic institutions.
Copies of the petition were also sent to the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu.
Among the signatories are Womanifesto, Bring Back Our Girls, Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Project Alert on Violence Against Women, the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, Yiaga Africa, Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria, Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), and former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, alongside numerous other civil society organisations.
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