The immediate past governor of Ekiti state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has dismissed the declaration made by the lawmaker representing the Ekiti North Senatorial District, Cyril Fasuyi, that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan accused him of sexual harassment.
Fasuyi had, on Wednesday during plenary, disclosed that the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial district had in the past raised allegations of sexual harassment against Fayemi amidst the ongoing investigation into the allegation against the Senate President, Godswil Akapabio.
However, Fayemi, in a statement by the Head of Fayemi Media Office on Wednesday, described the allegation as misleading and a monumental falsehood that lacks a modicum of truth.
The former governor said that neither Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan nor anyone else has ever accused Fayemi of sexual harassment.
He noted that Fasuyi’s allegation was a misrepresentation of facts, adding that the senator representing Ekiti North may have inadvertently conflated the events, leading to a misrepresentation of facts.
The statement reads, “We have become aware of a statement made by Senator Cyril Fasuyi during today’s Senate plenary, in which he alleged that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously accused Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, of sexual harassment.
“We categorically state that this claim is entirely false. At no time has Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan—or anyone else, for that matter—ever accused Dr. Fayemi of such misconduct. It appears that the Distinguished Senator from Ekiti inadvertently misrepresented the facts, as no such allegation has ever been made against Dr. Fayemi.
“Consequently, there is no basis for Senator Fasuyi’s further assertion that Dr. Fayemi would be submitting a petition to the Senate in this regard. We would like to believe that, in his enthusiasm to defend the Senate President, Senator Fasuyi inadvertently conflated events, leading to a misrepresentation of facts.
“For the record, the only professional engagement Dr. Fayemi ever had with Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was during his tenure as the Honourable Minister of Mines and Steel Development, when he oversaw matters related to the Ajaokuta Steel Company. While they may have held differing views on the future of the company at the time, their interactions remained strictly within the realm of policy discussions. At no point did Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan make any allegations of misconduct against Dr. Fayemi.
“We urge Senator Fasuyi to exercise greater diligence in verifying facts before making public statements, especially on sensitive matters that could damage reputations.
“Dr. Fayemi remains committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity in public service, and we reject any attempt to tarnish his name with baseless allegations”, it added
