The African Diaspora Congress (ADC) has asked the United States (US) not to hijack the affairs of the African Development Bank (AfDB) by working against the extension of the mandate of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the President of the AfDB, for a second term.
“The African Diaspora Congress (ADC) is mortified by the ongoing blatant US interference in the African Development Bank (AfDB) leadership under President Akinwumi Adesina,“ a statement co-signed by the Secretary-General of the Congress, Professor Apollos O Nwauwa, and the Public Relations Officer, Dr. Isabelle Kemajou-Brown, on 1 June said.
“We are aware that Dr. Adesina’s tenure was set to be unanimously renewed soon. Why should the US, which is a minority shareholder in the AfDB, impose on the Bank another so-called independent investigation of Dr. Adesina’s conduct outside of the norms of the Bank’s procedures and policies? Under which statute of the Bank is the US revisiting a matter which has been resolved in a transparent manner and in line with the Bank’s existing procedures and policies? Shouldn’t Nigeria, which is the largest shareholder of AfDB, be the one calling that shot rather than the US? After all, African countries own 60% of AfDB’s shares while non-African countries own 40% out of which the US owns only 6.6% (Fast Facts Report, AfDB).,” the statement said.
ADC noted taht a suspicious whistleblower’s complaint against Dr. Adesina was duly investigated by the Bank’s Ethics Committee and dismissed as being “frivolous, baseless, and without merit or evidence.” Yet the US, ADC regretted, has not accepted the outcome of the committee’s inquiry because it was favorable to Dr. Adesina. “By all accounts, President Adesina has so far been the best chief executive that the AfDB has ever had. During his tenure, as former president of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo has noted, the Bank has witnessed a historic growth in its general capital from $93 billion to $208 billion, an increase of $115 billion or about 124%, the highest in the Bank’s history since its establishment in 1964.
“Also, Dr Adesina has, through his leadership, raised the Bank’s transparency standing to position 4 among 45 comparable global bilateral and multilateral institutions. Despite his achievements and impressive leadership for the Bank and passion for Africa’s fast-paced development, and his clear endorsement by all of Africa’s countries for re-election for his second term, there are attempts, led by some non-regional countries of the Bank to frustrate his Re-Election.”
The Congress said in less than five years, under Dr Adesina’s leadership, the Bank’s investments have benefited and impacted more than 333 million Africans. “Since most African heads of state have endorsed Adesina as the sole candidate for reelection in late August for a second term, we call on the US not to bully its way into unduly influencing the leadership of African Development Bank. The US should live by the same democratic principles that it frequently preaches to the rest of the world.
“Therefore, the ADC joins all Africans, Africans in Diaspora, the 6th Region, and all friends of Africans and the AfDB in signing this petition as a protest against undue US meddling in African affairs.”
Related to this, former African leaders, in a joint statement on 29 May, threw their weight behind Dr. Adesina for him to have a second term. They said: “No nation, regardless of how powerful, has veto power over the African Development Bank, AfDB, and no nation should have such power.”
The statement was signed by former Presidents, such as like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria; Boni Yaya, Benin Republic; John Kufour; Ghana; and Hailemariam Desalegn, Ethiopia. The other African leaders are Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson, Liberia; Joyce Banda, Malawi; Joaquin Chissano, Mozambique; and Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria. The rest include Mohammed Marzouki, Tunisia; Benjamin Mkepa, Tanzania; and Tandja Mamadu, Niger. As well. Jakaya Kikwete, Tanzania; Rupiah Banda, Zambia; and Kgalema Motlanthe, South Africa were signatories to the statement.
“We understand that the Bank fully followed its rules, procedures and governing systems. Governance is all about respecting and abiding by rules, laws and established governing systems of organisations. In the case of AfDB, while differences may exist among parties, the best way to address them is to first respect the rules, procedures and governance structures of the Bank,” the statement said.
“To do otherwise will be tantamount to undermining the Bank and its long and hard-earned reputation, and that of its President. “The African Development Bank is a pride for all of Africa, and its President, Dr. Adesina, has taken the Bank to enviable heights,” they continued.
They conceded that “differences will always occur, but we urge all shareholders work together. All shareholders should work with mutual respect, and honour the rules and procedures of the Bank and its governance systems that have served it well for 56 years.”
