AfDB Probe: Ex-Liberian president, Sirleaf, rejoices with Adesina

Former Liberian President, Ellen Sirleaf, has congratulated President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, on his vindication by an independent panel which investigated corruption allegations levelled against him.

The former Nigerian minister of agriculture was alleged of indecency by some whistleblowers working in the bank and was recently cleared by the panel of all allegations.

“We rejoice that, as expected, the AfDB Group President, Akinwumi Adesina, has been declared fully innocent of all accusations by the Independent Panel headed by Mary Robinson,” Africa’s first female president tweeted on Friday morning.

Replying, Adesina, who is the sole candidate for the bank’s August’s presidential elections, wrote, “Thank you very much, Your Excellency, Madam President Ellen Sirleaf for your strong support, confidence and trust. I am humbled and grateful.”

Prior to the allegations which dated back to April, Adesina, 60, who became the first Nigerian to helm the AfDB in 2015, had always insisted he was “innocent” of the charges.

The bank’s Ethics’ Committee, which first investigated the allegations, gave him a clean bill that was accepted by the Board of Governors but the United States rejected the report and demanded a fresh probe by an independent body.

But the independent panel headed by former Irish President, Mary Robinson, “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.”