It has been confirmed that Akinwunmi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, would not run for President of Nigeria.
Last Monday, a support group acquired and submitted the All Progressives Congress’s N100 million Presidential form for the top banker.
According to reports, Adesina met with Mamman Daura, the President’s powerful nephew, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) last week to solicit his assistance.
It has been revealed that Adesina will not be present during the APC’s presidential screening on May 23.
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In a few hours, Adesina’s office is scheduled to release a statement distancing himself from Nigeria’s party politics.
The AfDB’s regulations prohibit its President from participating in party politics.
“The Bank, its President, Vice Presidents, officers, and staff shall not interfere in the political affairs of any member (country); nor shall they be influenced in their decisions by the political character of the member (country) concerned,” states paragraph 2 of Article 38 of the AfDB agreement, titled “Prohibition of Political Activity; the International Character of the Bank.”
“The President, Vice Presidents, officers, and employees of the Bank, in execution of their offices, owe their allegiance exclusively to the Bank and to no other authority,” the article declares in paragraph 3.
The AfDB’s code of conduct also prohibits its executive from engaging in political politics. “Although Executive Directors are elected representatives of governments from their constituencies, they shall refrain from participating in active politics in their home countries or elsewhere throughout their time as executive directors,” says Section 10 of the Code.
Should Adesina run for President of Nigeria, he would have to relinquish his current post permanently, a risk the top banker was not willing to face, according to reports.
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On the APC’s platform, there are at least 25 other presidential candidates.
Bola Tinubu, a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, oil mogul Tein Jack-Rich, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, and others are among them.