The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has strongly refuted a media report claiming that he was accused of sexual harassment by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central.
A news report, not originating from The PUNCH, claimed that during a recent plenary session on Wednesday, Senator Cyril Fasuyi (APC, Ekiti North) alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously levelled sexual harassment accusations against Fayemi.
However, in a swift response, the Head of Fayemi’s Media Office, Ahmad Sajoh, dismissed the report as inaccurate and a misrepresentation of the statements made by Senator Fasuyi.
According to Sajoh, after reviewing the plenary proceedings, it was clear that no such allegation was made by the Ekiti lawmaker.
“The attention of our office 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 allegedly claimed that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously accused Dr. Kayode Fayemi of sexual harassment,” Sajoh said in a statement.
“We categorically state that this report is inaccurate and a misrepresentation of Senator Fasuyi’s actual comments. Upon careful review, it is evident that Senator Fasuyi never made such an allegation. What he actually said was that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had, in the past, made false and defamatory claims about Dr. Fayemi during his tenure as Minister of Mines and Steel Development, particularly relating to the Ajaokuta Steel Company.”
Sajoh further stressed that neither Akpoti-Uduaghan nor anyone else had ever accused Fayemi of sexual misconduct.
He reiterated that the former governor has consistently upheld the highest standards of integrity throughout his public service career.
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“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to reiterate that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, or anyone else, has never accused Dr. Fayemi of any form of sexual misconduct. Dr. Fayemi has always adhered to the highest standards of integrity in public service, and we reject any attempt by the media to associate his name with unfounded and damaging allegations,” the statement continued.
The statement also clarified that Fayemi had no intention of becoming embroiled in the ongoing controversy surrounding the Senate.
According to Sajoh, any past interactions between Fayemi and Akpoti-Uduaghan were purely professional, with any differences stemming from divergent policy perspectives rather than personal disputes.
Sajoh called on the media to adhere to ethical journalism practices, urging journalists to thoroughly verify facts before publication and avoid sensationalising stories that could damage reputations and erode public trust.
“We urge the media to observe the highest standards of responsible journalism by ensuring accuracy before publishing stories. Sensationalism and the spread of misleading narratives harm reputations and undermine public trust in the media,” Sajoh concluded.
