Adesina, AfDB: Obasanjo Mobilises Africa Against US

By Chuks Ekpeneru

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has thrown his support behind the embattled President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina.

In a letter to the board of AfDB and copied to several former African leaders, the former Nigerian leader urged them to ignore calls for an independent investigation of Adesina by the US.

Adesina, was accused of favouritism and has been absolved of the allegations by the bank’s ethics committee.

The letter to Kaba Niale, chairman of the AfDB board of governors, urged them to follow laid down processes to protect and preserve the bank.

In his letter, Obasanjo wrote: “Unfortunately, the US government, through the US treasury secretary, has written a public letter (that was also distributed to the press globally) to disagree with the conclusions of the ethics committee of the board of directors and the chairman of the board of governors of the bank.

“Instead of accepting the exoneration of the president of the bank, they called for an independent investigation.

“This is outside of the rules, laws, procedures and governance systems of the bank. The US treasury secretary disparaged the bank and ridiculed the entire governance system of the bank which has been in place since 1964.

“This is unprecedented in the annals of the African Development Bank Group. If we do not rise up and defend the African Development Bank, this might mean the end of the African Development Bank, as its governance will be hijacked away from Africa.”

Obasanjo also advised that it is “critical” to emphasise the need for the AfDB to remain an “African-focused development bank rather than one which serves interests outside Africa.”

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