African Development Bank Reopens Investigation into President Akinwumi Adesina

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has reopened an investigation into charges of corruption and abuse of power raised against its President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina.

On Thursday, the Bank’s Board of Governors voted to once again investigate the internal whistle-blower complaints which suggested that Dr Adesina had used the bank as a personal fund.

The list of allegations included, "unethical conduct, private gain, an impediment to efficiency, preferential treatment, and involvement in political activities."

Dr Adesina had been previously cleared of charges by the Bank’s internal Ethics Committee, and was publicly supported in his re-election campaign by Nigeria’s President Buhari on Tuesday.

International pressure, however, from the US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has forced the bank to reconsider. Last month, the US Treasury issued a statement, saying that they “had, deep reservations about the integrity of the committee’s process”.

Dr Adesina has responded to the investigation’s reopening, saying the allegations were “without facts, evidence, and documents, as required by the rules and regulations of the bank."

"My defence ran into 250 pages, and not a single line was faulted or questioned," he said.

"The law says that report of the Ethics Committee should be transmitted to the Chairman of Governors of the bank. It was done, and the governors upheld the recommendations.

"That was the end of the matter, according to the rules. It was only if I was culpable that a fresh investigation could be launched.

"I was exonerated, and any other investigation would amount to bending the rules of the bank, to arrive at a predetermined conclusion."

Photo:AfDB