Describes US investigation of AfDB President as Witch-hunting, Abuse of Bank’s Ethics
In what looks like a message of solidarity from his ethic group in Nigeria, the United States Government has been urged not to oppose the second term election of the President of Africa Development Bank, (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.
In a letter directed to the United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, a foremost pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, the Yoruba Koya Leadership and Training Foundation, declared that opposing Adesina’s second term ambition is tantamount to opposing the general interests of the African people.
The letter, signed by the group’s founder and Vice-president, Otunba Ayodeji Osibogun and five other leaders of the organization such as the Vice-Chairman, Board of Trustees, Senator Tokunbo Ogunbanjo, Chairman, United States Chapter, Dr. Lanre Babalola, Member, Board of Trustees and United States based University Teacher, Dr. Oluronke Ogunleye, Chairman, United Kingdom Chapter, Mr. Olaide Olalere- United Kingdom and another United Kingdom based, Erelu Kemi Wellington – Ebo.
The group stated ‘we wish to bring to your notice the recent happenings at the Africa Development Bank (AfDB), an institution in which the United States is a non-regional member. This is in respect of a recent probe initiated by CBRE Caledon Partner, Stephen Dowd and engineered by the United States Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin”
Yoruba Ko’ya described the investigation as witch hunting and an attempt to muscle out Adesina from the management of AfDB.
“This certainly has the appearance of a witch hunt and constitutes an apparent attempt to discredit Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, the President of AfDB”, the group stated.
According to Yoruba Koya, “Dr. Adesina has made giant strides in the development of the bank through the introduction and implementation of dynamic projects in the continent of Africa.”
The group said the probe is an unnecessary extrajudicial process that undermines the constituted checks and balances of the AfDB designed to curb maladministration and corruption in the organization.
It condemned the setting aside of the findings of AfDB’s Ethics Committee is an indictment of the reputation and integrity of the member nations, such as Japan and others that constitute the committee.
“A crisis of confidence is going to be built into AfDB, which may eventually lead to creation of cleavages that might lead to a breakdown and possible disintegration of the bank” the group said.
It told the United States that the ongoing projects would suffer as a result of lack of continuity in the administration and its set goals and objectives of poverty alleviation, healthcare delivery, entrepreneurship, agricultural industrialization, and general development in the continent of Africa.
“The success of AfDB would enhance the development of the continent, which would in return reduce the burden of immigration on the United States of America”
The group called on Pompeo to intervene so as to stop the meddlesomeness in the affairs of
AfDB and restore the dignity and honour for which the American government has been noted for years.
“It is therefore, in the best interest of the United States Government to continue to support the activities of the African Development Bank and other such initiatives in Africa.
It told the United States that the ongoing projects would suffer as a result of lack of continuity in the administration and its set goals and objectives of poverty alleviation, healthcare delivery, entrepreneurship, agricultural industrialization, and general development in the continent of Africa.
“The success of AfDB would enhance the development of the continent, which would in return reduce the burden of immigration on the United States of America” Yoruba Ko’ya said.
