The Board of the African Development bank has thrown its weight behind ]the President, Akinwunmi Adesina, concerning the calls for an independent probe over claims of nepotism.
The US had rejected the findings of a probe made into allegations of nepotism where the bank’s ethics committee exonerated Mr Adesina.
Former Nigeria’s President, Olusegun Obasanjo, berated the United States government for rejecting the ethics committee probe and calling for an independent one.
Odunews.com reports that Obasanjo in a letter sent to former head of states of some African countries warned that the governance of the bank could be hijacked if the probe should be allow to go on.
Reacting to the controversy, the AfDB board said it was treating allegations leveled against Mr Adesina with the seriousness they deserved.
Niale Kaba, the bank’s board chairperson, said there was no governance or constitutional crisis at the AfDB.
Mr Adesina is accused by a group of whistle-blowers of appointing relatives to strategic positions at the bank as well as giving contracts to acquaintances. He denies any wrongdoing.
The US holds a 6.5% stake in the bank, the second-largest shareholding after Nigeria.
Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland – who are also shareholders – have also written to the Abidjan-based lender backing calls for an independent probe.
