Akinwunmi Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank, has stated why he can’t run for President of Nigeria in 2023.
In a Tuesday statement called “Statement by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank,” he explained why.
Last week, a group of supporters bought and sent in the N100 million form for the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate for the top banker.
In the statement, Adesina said that his current job as president of the AfDB won’t allow him to run for president of Nigeria.
“I have been very humbled by the many Nigerians at home and abroad who have asked me to think about running for President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement said.
“I’m very moved by how far people have gone and how much they’ve given up on their own to think I’m good enough to be put forward for possible consideration.
“The coalition groups of young people, women, farmers, people with disabilities, and good-hearted Nigerians who did this have shown me their true free will, political right, freedom of speech, and freedom of association, with Nigeria’s best interests in mind.
“I am deeply honored, humbled, and grateful for all the goodwill, kindness, and trust, but my current responsibilities don’t allow me to accept being considered at this time.
“I am still 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 the development of Africa.
I haven’t changed my mind about my mission to help Africa develop quickly and become more economically integrated.
In particular, Paragraph 2 of Article 38 of the agreement that set up the AfDB, which is called “Prohibition of Political Activity; the International Character of the Bank,” says that “The Bank, its President, Vice Presidents, officers, and staff shall not interfere in the political affairs of any member (country), nor shall they let the political nature of the member (country) concerned affect their decisions.”
In paragraph 3, the article says, “In doing their jobs, the President, Vice Presidents, officers, and staff of the Bank are responsible only to the Bank and no one else.”
In the same way, AfDB’s code of conduct says that its executives can’t get involved in politics. Section 10 of the Code says, “Even though Executive Directors are elected by their constituents to represent their governments, they must stay out of politics while they are in office as Executive Directors, both in their home countries and elsewhere.”
- Tags: 2023 election, Akinwumi Adesina, APC
