Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank
(AfDB), says he is innocent and will not allow allegations levelled against him
bring his honour and integrity to question.
In a statement on Wednesday, Adesina described the
allegations against him as “trumped-up” and expressed confidence in the
processes and governance procedures of the bank.
“In spite of unprecedented attempts by some to tarnish my
reputation and prejudice the bank’s governance procedures, I maintain my
innocence with regard to trumped-up allegations that unjustly seek to impugn my
honour and integrity, as well as the reputation of the African Development
Bank,” he said.
“I sincerely appreciate the support of the bank’s
shareholders.
“At this time, I remain confident that ultimately and as one
collective, the bank will emerge stronger than before and continue to support
Africa’s development drive.
“I am confident that fair, transparent and just processes
that respect the rules, procedures and governance systems of the bank, and the
rule of law, will ultimately prove that I have not violated the code of ethics
of this extraordinary institution.”
This is the first time in months that Adesina would publicly
comment on the case.
Adesina, a former minister of agriculture in Nigeria, is
being accused of favouritism.
Although he was cleared after an investigation by the bank’s
ethics committee, the United States is calling for an independent probe of the
allegations.
In a letter signed by Steven Mnuchin, its treasury
secretary, the US which is the second-largest shareholder in the multilateral
institution after Nigeria, said it disagrees with the committee’s decision to
exonerate Adesina.
“I will, therefore, continue to work with each and every one
of our shareholders to ensure that the African Development Bank maintains its
hard-earned global reputation; and that our credible and well-functioning
institutional and governance systems are reinforced, as we collectively press
on to fulfil the mission of our founders to accelerate and transform Africa’s
development.”
Adesina is the sole candidate, seeking reelection, in the
bank’s election which is scheduled to hold in August.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com