The president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has asked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to support one of President Goodluck Jonathan’s right-hand men, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, to emerge the next president of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Dr Adesina is the current minister of agriculture and rural development.
To this end, Buhari has communicated his support for Adesina’s candidacy to the Ghanaian president, John Dramani Mahama, who is the current chairman of the sub-regional group, ECOWAS.
In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Malam Garba Shehu, the president-elect was quoted as saying that he was endorsing Adesina’s candidacy for the AfDB top job not just because the minister was a Nigerian but because he has a record of excellent performance over time.
“Dr Adesina has a proven track record in a career that predates his position as Nigeria’s minister for agriculture and rural development,” Buhari said.
He noted that Adesina had years of experience while working in Francophone and Anglophone countries, and a passion to help eradicate poverty in Africa by reducing unemployment and inequality among African youths.
“Dr Adesina is also an agricultural development expert with 24 years of experience in developing and managing successful agricultural programmes across Africa.
“Until his appointment as the minister of agriculture and rural development in 2011, he was the vice president, Policy and Partnerships Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Additionally, he has held senior leadership positions in a number of agricultural institutions in the world,” the statement added.
