No decision asking Akinwumi Adesina to step down, clarifies AfDB

* There’s no governance or constitutional crisis at AfDB Group ─Board Chairman

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

The Board of Governors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) says Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the Bank, has not been directed to step down from his position, as the Board continues to review the fallout of a whistleblower’s complaint.

Niale Kaba, Chairman of the Board said: “The Bureau (of the Board of Governors) informs the public that it has not taken any decision.

“Everyone must allow the Bureau to do its work and allow due process to reign. All governors will be carried along in resolving the issue,” according to Bloomberg.

Recall that report indicated that the Board Tuesday, May 26 agreed to an independent probe of Dr. Adesina following the United States (US) outright rejection of an internal investigation that cleared him of allegations of favoritism, according to two people familiar with the deliberations on the matter.

Adesina, who has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, may have to step back from the role until the probe is complete, they said at the time.

However, the AfDB President in a statement Wednesday, May 27 said “fair, transparent and just processes” would vindicate him without denying or confirming a new probe.

Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland are among countries that wrote to the AfDB to back US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s demands for professional outsiders to look into the allegations, the people said.

A representative for the Nordic countries declined to comment. The US is the AfDB’s biggest shareholder after Nigeria, Adesina’s home country.

“I must emphasise that there is no governance or constitutional crisis at the African Development Bank Group,” Kaba said in the letter confirming the May 26 meeting and the reception of shareholders’ letters “expressing various views.”

Incidentally, a town-hall meeting with Adesina meant to take place Friday, May 29 was cancelled Thursday, according to employees of the bank, report stated.

In March 2020, the Bank issued a $3 billion Social Bond to help the African countries deal with the fallout from the Coronavirus pandemic.

The bank also launched a $10 billion crisis-response facility for African nations.