The President of the African Development Bank (AFDB), Mr. Akinwunmi Adesina has been cleared of all wrong doing by an independent panel set up to probe allegations of abuse of office and corruption against him.
Adesina had been probed initially by the Ethics Committee of the African Development Bank and was found innocent of the whistleblower allegations which was accepted by the Bank’s board of governors.
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The United States Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin however rejected the report, and demanded for an independent Probe.
60 former African heads of state and other notable Africans objected to the views of the United States, insisting that it would amount to an erosion of independence for the Bank.
Akinwunmi Adesina was however consequently investigated again by an independent panel of experts led by former Irish President, Mary Robinson alongside the Chief Justice Hassan Jallow, and World Bank integrity vice President, Leonard McCarthy and found innocent of the charges.
“The Panel concurs with the Committee in its findings in respect of all the allegations against the President and finds that they were properly considered and dismissed by the Committee,” the panel said in a statement on Monday.
Akinwunmi Adesina a 60 yr old charismatic financial expert is the first Nigerian to head the bank and is set for a second term being the sole candidate for the position in the upcoming elections for the bank leadership in August.