The Senate on Thursday confirmed Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina as a Non-Career Ambassadorial nominee despite objections from some lawmakers and recent protests by civil society organisations over his nomination.
The confirmation followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs during plenary.
Presenting the committee’s report, the Vice Chairman of the committee, Senator Simon Lalong, urged the Senate to approve Fasina’s nomination for appointment as a Non-Career Ambassador and High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to Lalong, the committee thoroughly reviewed the nomination and found the nominee qualified for confirmation.
The debate, however, generated differing opinions among senators, with some lawmakers expressing reservations over the nomination, while others supported the committee’s recommendation.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee who signed the report recommending Fasina’s confirmation, also raised concerns during the plenary session.
Despite the objections, the committee maintained that allegations previously made against the nominee had already been investigated by the appropriate authorities, including the Governing Council of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti and the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the committee, the investigations did not establish evidence to support the allegations against Fasina.
The report stated that both the university’s governing council and the police concluded that the allegations were not substantiated after their respective investigations.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, while supporting the committee’s recommendation, urged lawmakers to rely on verified reports and official findings rather than unverified claims when carrying out their legislative responsibilities.
Fasina’s confirmation comes days after a coalition of civil society organisations staged a protest at the National Assembly, calling on the Senate to suspend the confirmation process.
The protesters urged lawmakers to delay the nomination, citing allegations of sexual harassment, human rights violations and victimisation, which they claimed were the subject of ongoing court proceedings.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, legal practitioner Adeyemo Amira argued that the nominee had pending cases before the National Industrial Court in Lagos and Abuja and appealed to the Senate to allow the courts to determine the matters before proceeding with the confirmation.
Despite the concerns raised by the protesters, the Senate proceeded with the confirmation after adopting the committee’s report.
The confirmation is part of the ongoing process to fill Nigeria’s diplomatic missions abroad following the submission of ambassadorial nominees to the Senate by President Bola Tinubu for screening and confirmation.
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