Scores of protesters on Tuesday gathered at the National Assembly in Abuja, calling on the Senate to suspend the confirmation of Professor Abayomi Fasina as a non-career ambassadorial nominee over allegations of sexual harassment, human rights violations and victimisation.
The demonstrators, who marched under the banner of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, argued that the Senate should defer consideration of Fasina’s nomination until pending court cases involving him have been concluded.
President Bola Tinubu recently forwarded a list of ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation as part of efforts to fill Nigeria’s diplomatic missions, many of which have remained vacant for months.
However, Fasina’s nomination has generated controversy, with several civil society groups urging lawmakers to allow the judicial process to run its course before taking a decision on his confirmation.
During the protest, demonstrators chanted solidarity songs and displayed placards bearing messages including, “Suspend the Ambassadorial Appointment of Prof Fasina Now” and “Nigerian Senate, Don’t Confirm Prof Abayomi Fasina’s Ambassadorial Appointment.”
Speaking to journalists at the National Assembly complex, legal practitioner Adeyemo Amira, who represented the coalition, said Fasina is involved in ongoing cases before the National Industrial Court in Lagos and Abuja.
Amira maintained that the protest was not motivated by personal grievances but by a commitment to due process and the rule of law.
She stressed that the coalition was not asking the Senate to pronounce Fasina guilty or prosecute him, noting that only the courts have the constitutional authority to determine guilt or innocence.
The group therefore urged lawmakers to suspend the confirmation process until the pending legal proceedings have been resolved.
