AfDB President, Akinwumi Adesina, maintains innocence, claims there are attempts to tarnish his reputation
Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) - The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, on Wednesday claimed that in spite of unprecedented attempts by some persons to tarnish his reputation and prejudice the Bank's governance procedures, he maintains his innocence with regards to trumped up allegations that unjustly seek to "impugn my honor and integrity, as well as the reputation of the bank".
In a statement, made available to PANA in Kigali, Rwanda, Dr Adesina said he has been overwhelmed by the tremendous support received from around the world following these allegations.
While stressing his commitment to remain confident that ultimately and as a strong institution, Dr Adesina noted that the Bank will emerge stronger than before and continue to support Africa's development drive.
"I draw great inspiration from my heroes, Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan, whose lives have shown that through pain we grow. As Martin Luther King Jnr. once said, "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."
The reaction by the Bank's President comes after the US, as one of the main sharesholders of the bank, has demanded investigation into alleged African Development Bank's decision.
Dr Adesina was accused by a group of unidentified whistleblowers of handing contracts to acquaintances and appointing relatives to strategic positions at the Abidjan-based lender.
Following these allegations, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, has rejected plans by the African Development Bank's board to end an investigation into its president, Akinwumi Adesina, and called for an independent probe into allegations against him.
Commenting on these allegations, Dr Adesina said he was confident that fair, transparent and just processes that respect the rules, procedures and governance systems of the Bank, and the rule of law, "will ultimately prove that I have not violated the Code of Ethics of this extraordinary institution.
"I will continue to work with each and everyone of our shareholders to ensure that the African Development Bank maintains its hard earned global reputation," Dr Adesina was quoted in a statement as saying.
-0- PANA TWA/VAO 27May2020
