THE President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has officially pulled out of Nigeria’s Presidential race.
It would be recalled that a body, the One Nigeria Group, headed by Mohammed Saleh, was widely reported in the media to have obtained the expression of interest and nomination forms for the office of the President on behalf of Adesina at the APC Secretariat in Abuja on Saturday, May 7, 2022.
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However, Adesina, in an official statement personally signed by him and dated May 17, 2022, said his current responsibilities as AfDB President would not allow him to accept being considered for the post of Nigeria’s President.
The statement reads, “I have been extremely humbled by several calls from Nigerians at home and abroad that I should consider running for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I am very touched by all who have gone to great extent, with such huge sacrifices, of their own volition, to consider me worthy to be proposed for potential consideration.
“The coalition groups of youth, women, farmers, the physically challenged and well-meaning Nigerians that have done this have expressed their genuine free will, political right, freedom of expression and association for my consideration, with the interest of Nigeria at heart.
“While I am deeply honored, humbled and grateful for all the incredible goodwill, kindness, and confidence, my current responsibilities at this time do not allow me to accept to be considered.
“I remain fully engaged and committed to the mission that Nigeria, Africa and all the non-African
shareholders of the African Development Bank have given me for Africa’s development.
“I remain fully focused on the mission of supporting the accelerated development and economic integration of Africa.
“May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. May God bless Africa.”
Adesina, a strong ally of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, had on several occasions faulted the President Muhammadu Buhari administration on key issues affecting the economy.
For instance, in a recent retreat with senior government officials in Abuja, he pointed out that the country’s challenge was revenue concentration, noting that the oil sector accounted for 75.4 per cent of export revenue and 50 per cent of all government revenue.
At the retreat, he expressed concerns that ease of doing business was still a concern in Nigeria despite numerous interventions.
“The cost of exporting 100 tons of cargo in Nigeria is $35,000, compared to $4000 in Ghana,” he said at the retreat.
Adesina was Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture under former President, Goodluck Jonathan, and was credited with the E-wallet system that supplied fertiliser directly to farmers through their respective phone contacts.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.