A former Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has dismissed claims that he was ever accused of sexual harassment by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, labeling the allegation as false.
In a statement issued by his media office, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, Fayemi refuted the assertion made by Cyril Fasuyi, the lawmaker representing Ekiti North senatorial district at the National Assembly, during a Senate plenary, where he alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously accused Fayemi of misconduct.
“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,” the statement read.
Sajoh further stated that Fasuyi might have misrepresented facts in his attempt to defend Akpabio, stressing that Fayemi had never been linked to any harassment claims.
“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,” he added.
Clarifying the nature of Fayemi’s past interactions with Akpoti-Uduaghan, the statement emphasized that their engagements were strictly professional, particularly during his tenure as Minister of Mines and Steel Development, when he handled issues related to the Ajaokuta Steel Company.
“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,” the statement clarified.
The media office urged Fasuyi to verify facts before making statements that could tarnish reputations.
“We urge Senator Fasuyi to exercise greater diligence in verifying facts before making public statements, especially on sensitive matters that could damage reputations,” the statement concluded.
