Former vice-presidential candidate Peter Obi says the exoneration of African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina by an independent review panel set up to investigate allegations of ethical wrongdoings levelled against him is a welcome development.
Mr Obi stated this on Tuesday while reacting to the news of Adesina’s vindication by the committee led by a former president of the Republic of Ireland and a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson.
“I am, like every well-meaning Nigerian, very delighted at the high level of integrity on display in the clearance of AfDB President, Dr. Adesina, by the Mary Robinson-led committee,” Obi said.
Hailing Robinson, chairperson of the Elders, a global body of wise persons concerned with the world’s wellbeing, as “integrity personified”, Obi said “This clearance has finally given the ‘OK’ for Adesina’s second tenure to continue his good work for the African continent.”
The panel was set up by the AfDB Bureau of Governors following a complaint by the United States to review the process by which two previous organs of the bank – the ethics committee of the board, and the Bureau of the Board of Governors – had previously exonerated Adesina.
The report of the panel states that it “concurs with the (Ethics) Committee in its findings in respect of all the allegations against the President and finds that they were properly considered and dismissed by the Committee.”
This clears the way for governors of the bank to re-elect Adesina to a second five-year term as president during annual meetings of the bank scheduled for August 25-27, 2020.
