Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has been re-elected as the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Adesina, who ran unopposed was re-elected by the Board of Governors of the Bank, Thursday, at the AfDB’s virtual annual meeting in Abidjan, Cote d’ivoire’s capital.
Apart from being the sole candidate in the election, Adesina is the first Nigerian to occupy the role.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie confirmed the development while congratulating Adesina on her Twitter page.
“Our very own Akinwumi Akin Adesina has been reaffirmed as the President of the African Development Bank.
“Thank you to our supportive President @MBuhari who mobilized support for our own Adesina and why not! Adesina has been proven to be above boards,” Onochie wrote.
The former Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture was elected for a five-year term on May 28, 2015, at the 50th annual meetings, which took place in Abidjan.
Recall an independent panel of experts, headed by former Irish president Mary Robinson, recently cleared Adesina of all charges, putting an end to months of uncertainty that had initially trailed his re-election.
The panel of three experts, led by Robinson alongside Gambia’s Chief Justice Hassan Jallow and the World Bank’s integrity vice president Leonard McCarthy, cleared Adesina of all charges alleged by whistleblowers.
The African Bank of Development plays an important behind-the-scenes role in African economies, financing projects in agriculture, health, energy, education, transport and other development sectors.