Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has clarified a news report published by The Cable on an alleged statement attributed to Senator Cyril Fasuyi during the Senate plenary on Wednesday.
In the report, Senator Fasuyi allegedly claimed that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously accused Fayemi of sexual harassment.
In a reaction last night, Fayemi said the report is inaccurate and misrepresents Senator Fasuyi from Ekiti’s comments.
He said upon reviewing the proceedings, it was evident that Fasuyi never made such an allegation. The former governor and chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) said what Fasuyi said 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.
Fayemi said, “At no point did Senator Fasuyi link Dr. Fayemi to any allegations of sexual misconduct by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan. We are, therefore, at a loss as to how The Cable arrived at such a grave and unfounded assertion.
“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 clarify 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,” he said.
In a statement signed by Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, the head of the Fayemi Media Office, Fayemi asserted that there is no basis for any claim that he intends to submit a petition to the Senate.
Therefore, he urged the media to adhere to the highest standards of ethical journalism by verifying facts before publication. He added that sensationalism and the spread of misleading narratives damage reputations and undermine public trust in the media.
