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Nigeria's president backs embattled African Development Bank chief

Published 02/06/2020, 20:34
Updated 02/06/2020, 20:36

ABUJA, June 2 (Reuters) - Nigerian President Muhammadu
Buhari on Tuesday gave his backing to the head of the African
Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, in his re-election
bid despite allegations of improper conduct.
Adesina, who served as Nigeria's agriculture minister before
taking the AfDB's top job in 2015, has been accused of abuse of
office by a whistleblower at the bank including favouritism in
hiring.
Adesina, who denied the allegations, was later cleared of
wrongdoing in an internal investigation.
But U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin signed a letter to
the bank's board on May 22 rejecting the internal investigation.
The United States, AfDB's second-largest shareholder after
Nigeria, is demanding a new independent investigation, saying it
has reservations about the integrity of the banks process.
Adesina later this year plans to pursue a second term as a
the head of the multilateral lender, which is headquartered in
Ivory Coast's commercial capital Abidjan. He visited Buhari in
Nigeria's capital, Abuja, on Tuesday.
"President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria will stand solidly
behind Dr Akinwumi Adesina in his bid to get re-elected as
President of the African Development Bank," a statement from
Buhari's office said.
It also quoted Adesina as saying the allegations levelled
against him are baseless.
"I was exonerated, and any other investigation would amount
to bending the rules of the bank, to arrive at a predetermined
conclusion," Adesina said.
Several former African heads of state and current presidents
have signed a separate statement supporting Adesina.

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