Media report quoting Senator Cyril Fasuyi (APC, Ekiti North) that ex-governor, Kayode Fayemi, was once accused of sexual harassment by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has drawn Fayemi’s response.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio took the centre stage at Wednesday’s plenary in the Red chamber during which Senator Fasuyi said it was in the nature of the Kogi Central Senator to make false allegation.
He cited that while ex-Ekiti governor, Fayemi, was Solid Minerals Development Minister, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused him of buying over Ajaokuta Steel Company.
However, some media reports misrepresented Senator Fasuyi’s comments, by reporting that he also said, Natasha falsely accused the ex-minister of sexually harassing her.
However, a statement by Head of the Fayemi Media Office, Ahmad Sajoh, has now set the records.
“Our attention has been drawn to a news report published by The Cable regarding an alleged statement made by Senator Cyril Fasuyi during today’s Senate plenary. According to the report, Senator Fasuyi purportedly claimed that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously accused Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, of sexual harassment.
“We wish to categorically state that this report is inaccurate and a misrepresentation of the actual comments made by the Distinguished Senator from Ekiti. Upon reviewing the proceedings, it is evident that Senator Fasuyi never made such an allegation. Instead, what he actually stated was that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had, in the past, made false and defamatory claims against Dr. Fayemi when he served as Minister of Mines and Steel Development, specifically regarding issues related to the Ajaokuta Steel Company.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to reiterate that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan—or anyone else, for that matter—has never accused Dr. Fayemi of any form of sexual misconduct. Dr. Fayemi has always upheld the highest standards of integrity in public service, and we strongly reject any attempt by the media to associate his name with baseless and damaging allegations.
“Furthermore, we wish to make it clear that Dr. Fayemi has no interest in being drawn into the ongoing controversy in the Senate. His past engagements with Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan were strictly professional, and any differences that arose were purely based on divergent policy perspectives, not personal grievances,” Sajoh wrote.
