AfDB: Adesina re-elected for 2nd term

77

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the President of African Development Bank (AfDB) has been re-elected to serve for a second of five years.

The election which was monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) took place electronically on Thursday during closing ceremony of the virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the bank on Thursday.

A source told NAN  that all the delegates unanimously voted for Adesina but details had not been made known officially.

Adesina’s reappointment at the helm of the 56-year-old bank was formalised during the AGM because he was the sole candidate.

The AfDB boss faced with corruption allegations and subsequently cleared by ethics committee of the bank, bureau of board of directors while the Independent Review Panel also exonerated him.

The Independent Review Panel was constituted by the Bureau of Governors of the Bank, 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 cleared Adesina.

The three-member Independent Review Panel was headed by Mary Robinson, who is a former President of the Republic of Ireland, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Meanwhile at the opening ceremony of the AGM on Wednesday, Adesina presented himself officially to Governors and other stakeholders for relection.

“At this Annual Meetings, I offer myself to you, our Governors, for your consideration for election for a second term, as President.

“I do so, with humility, 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” he said.

(NAN)