The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has denied a media report that he was accused of sexual harassment by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Amid the controversy trailing the Senate over the sexual harassment claim made by Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Fayemi stated that he was never accused of the same by the lawmaker representing Kogi Central.
The denial is in response to a report claiming that Senator Cyril Fasuyi (APC, Ekiti North), during Wednesday’s plenary, said Akpoti-Uduaghan previously accused Fayemi of sexual harassment.
Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, the Head of the Fayemi Media Office, Ahmad Sajoh called the report inaccurate and a misrepresentation of the actual comments made by Fasuyi.
“Our attention has been drawn to a news report published by The Cable regarding an alleged statement made by Senator Cyril Fasuyi during today’s Senate plenary.
“According to the report, Senator Fasuyi purportedly claimed that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously accused Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, of sexual harassment.
“We wish to categorically state that this report is inaccurate and a misrepresentation of the actual comments made by the Distinguished Senator from Ekiti.
“Upon reviewing the proceedings, it is evident that Senator Fasuyi never made such an allegation.
“Instead, what he actually stated 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,” the statement reads.
“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 make it clear 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,” it added.