Pressure is mounting on the Senate to reject the ambassadorial nomination of former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, as a coalition of more than 300 civil society organisations and prominent activists has petitioned lawmakers to withhold his confirmation pending the determination of criminal and civil cases instituted against him.

Among the signatories to the petition are former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili; the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria; Yiaga Africa; Bring Back Our Girls; Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria; Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC); Women Aid Collective (WACOL); Project Alert on Violence Against Women; Stand to End Rape (STER); Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ).

Others include National Council of Women Societies (NCWS); Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA); Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF); Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON); Women Environmental Programme (WEP); Baobab for Women’s Human Rights; Transition Monitoring Group (TMG); Women Wing, among several others.

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, ahead of the screening of ambassadorial nominees.

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.

Signed by the Co-convener of Womanifesto, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, on behalf of the coalition, the petition urged the Senate Committee to decline recommending Fasina’s confirmation until all ongoing criminal and civil proceedings against him have been finally determined by competent courts.

But a group known as the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) Progressives, comprising students, alumni and staff members of the institution, has dismissed the campaign against Fasina, describing it as a politically motivated attempt to frustrate his ambassadorial nomination.

In a statement signed by its spokesman, Dr. Kehinde Alao, the group accused some civil society organisations of engaging in campaign of calumny” and political vendetta against the former vice-chancellor.

The group maintained that the allegations of sexual harassment and administrative misconduct against Fasina had been investigated and that he was cleared by relevant authorities.

It claimed that investigations by the police and two successive Governing Councils of FUOYE, including one chaired by former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, found no evidence of wrongdoing and exonerated the former vice-chancellor.

However, the coalition in its petition argued that while every citizen enjoys the constitutional presumption of innocence, ambassadorial appointments require a higher standard of integrity because ambassadors represent Nigeria’s values, institutions and international image.

“It is trite that an ambassador serves as a representative of a nation’s identity and values. Given this important role, any candidate for an ambassadorial position must embody the highest standards of integrity and impeccable conduct,” the petition stated.

According to the organisations, there is a substantial possibility that confirming a nominee facing unresolved allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of office could expose Nigeria to international embarrassment and erode confidence in public institutions.

The petition listed allegations against Fasina to include sexual harassment of a female staff member, abuse of office, workplace victimisation, intimidation, human rights violations and retaliatory conduct during his tenure as Vice-Chancellor of FUOYE.

It alleged that one of the sexual harassment allegations is supported by a 37-minute audio recording, which the coalition said forms part of evidence in ongoing proceedings before the National Industrial Court.

Fasina has, however, consistently denied any wrongdoing.

During the controversy surrounding the allegations while serving as FUOYE Vice-Chancellor, he maintained that he did not sexually harass the complainant and challenged the actions of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in court.

In April 2025, he obtained an interim order from the Federal High Court in Lagos restraining the anti-graft agency from arresting or taking further action against him pending the hearing of his suit challenging the investigation

According to the petitioners, after complaints were submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the anti-corruption agency investigated the allegations and subsequently commenced criminal proceedings against Fasina, which they said remain pending before a court of competent jurisdiction.

They further stated that separate civil proceedings involving allegations of sexual harassment and workplace victimisation are also pending before the National Industrial Court in both its Abuja and Ikoyi divisions.

The coalition also cited the judgment in Akingbe v. FUOYE (NICN/AK/58/2018), where the National Industrial Court held that the university under Fasina’s administration breached the claimant’s right to fair hearing after a disciplinary panel accused him of self-plagiarism without proof.

According to the petition, the court awarded N40 million in damages against the institution.

The organisations argued that the Senate’s constitutional responsibility extends beyond confirming that nominees meet formal qualifications.

Rather, they said lawmakers are expected to determine whether nominees possess the character, integrity, judgment and public credibility required for offices of national importance.

“The Senate’s constitutional role in the confirmation process is not limited to verifying formal eligibility. It extends to assessing whether a nominee possesses the integrity, character, judgment and public standing necessary to discharge the responsibilities of the office,” the petition stated.

The coalition argued that confirming Fasina while criminal proceedings initiated by the ICPC remain pending could undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s anti-corruption institutions.

According to the groups, such a decision could create the perception that accountability mechanisms are incapable of holding influential public officials accountable.

They also maintained that confirming the nominee would send an adverse signal about Nigeria’s commitment to tackling sexual harassment, gender-based violence and workplace discrimination, contrary to the country’s obligations under Sections 34 and 42 of the Constitution and international conventions, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

The coalition urged the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs to decline recommending Fasina’s confirmation “to ensure that the Senate’s consideration of the nomination reflects the constitutional principles of accountability, integrity, transparency and public confidence in governance.”

“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 and dignity, gender equality and institutional integrity.

“For these reasons, we respectfully urge the Committee to reject the confirmation of Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina pending the final determination of all proceedings presently before competent courts.”