Board Of Governors Of AfDB Reelect Akinwunmi Adesina As President

The former Nigerian agriculture minister, Akinwunmi Adesina has been re-elected as president of the African Development Bank (AFDB) for another term by the board of governors of AFDB on Thursday.

Adesina, who was first elected in May 2015, was the only candidate in the election.

At this Annual Meetings, I offer myself to you, our Governors, for your consideration for election for a second term, as President,” Adesina told the governors on the first day of the AfDB’s annual general meetings on Wednesday.

I do so, with humility. I do so with a strong sense of duty and commitment and a call to serve Africa and our Bank, selflessly, to the very best of my God-given abilities”, Adesina said.

His chances of re-election were almost scuppered when the United States authorities insisted he faced investigation for corruption claims made by a whistleblower.

The whistleblowers had accused Adesina of 20 breaches of the bank’s code of conduct. But the ‘Ethics Committee’ of the continental bank, headed by Takuji Yano, on May 5, absolved Adesina of any wrong doing.

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Adesina in a statement on Wednesday also maintained his innocence, according to a report in THEWILL.