An independent panel probing the boss of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Akinwumi Adesina has cleared him of any corruption charges.
Adesina who is seeking re-election was accused of abuse of office by a whistleblower at the bank. He is also accused of favouritism in hiring of staff.
He faced an earlier internal investigation over these claims and was cleared with the bank’s board saying months ago that it stood by the Nigerian.
But with pressure from other shareholders including the United States, the bank’s board asked for an independent review of the internal investigation report.
That independent panel of experts was headed by former Irish President Mary Robinson with Gambia’s Chief Justice Hassan Jallow and Leonard McCarthy, the World Bank’s integrity vice-president being members.
AFP reports that Mr Adesina was cleared of all charges that were alleged by unnamed employees.
“The panel concurs with the committee in its findings in respect of all the allegations against the president and finds that they were properly considered and dismissed by the committee,” AFP quotes a report as saying.
The AfDB president has already in the past denied the allegations and a report by the bank’s ethics board also cleared him of wrongdoing.
The United States, AfDB’s second-largest shareholder demanded a new independent probe into the allegations, a request the bank’s board gave in to.
This latest development clears the path for the impending election in August.
Akinwumi Adesina has already received a lot of support from African countries towards his bid for a second term in office.
Source: Africafeeds.com