AfDB boss Adesina backs off as AfDB regulations bar him
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Akinwumi Adesina has finally backed off a run for the Villa after weeks of a raft of speculations about nomination form purchase and clandestine meetings with Aso Rock cabal head Mamman Daura to get Muhammadu Buhari to anoint him.
A support group of Nigerians in the Diaspora had bought and submitted the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form for Adesina.
He joins other improbable aspirants to throw in the towel, such as Labour Minister Chris Ngige and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, who were simply filibusters being used by the Northern cabal to crowd to field.
Adesina, African Development Bank (AfDB) President, said he is deeply honoured, humbled and grateful for the goodwill, kindness, and confidence of those who bought him the nomination form and urged him to contest.
The reality is that AfDB regulations bar its President from partisan politics.
Paragraph 2 of Article 38 of the agreement establishing AfDB, titled ‘Prohibition of Political Activity; the International Character of the Bank’, says:
“The Bank, its President, Vice Presidents, officers and staff shall not interfere in the political affairs of any member (country); nor shall they be influenced in their decisions by the political character of the member (country) concerned.”
Adesina would have had to resign from his job certainty in AfDB and dabble in the rat race for the APC ticket which was not certain for him to win.
He issued a statement on Tuesday expressing regretted that his AfDB gig does not allow him to run for Aso Rock.
He said, however, that he remains engaged and committed to the mission that Nigeria, Africa, and all the non-African shareholders of the AfDB have given him for the development of the continent.
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Having Nigeria’s interest at heart
“I have been extremely humbled by several calls from Nigerians at home and abroad that I should consider running for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I am very touched by all who have gone to great extent, with such huge sacrifices, of their own volition, to consider me worthy to be proposed for potential consideration,” Adesina said, per reporting by The Nation.
“The coalition groups of youth, women, farmers, physically-challenged and well-meaning Nigerians that have done this have expressed their genuine free will, political right, freedom of expression and association for my consideration, with the interest of Nigeria at heart.
“While I am deeply honored, humbled and grateful for all the incredible goodwill, kindness, and confidence, my current responsibilities at this time do not allow me to accept to be considered.
“I remain fully engaged and committed to the mission that Nigeria, Africa and all the non-African shareholders of the African Development Bank have given me for Africa’s development.
“I remain fully focused on the mission of supporting the accelerated development and economic integration of Africa. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. May God bless Africa.”
