AfDB: How independent review panel absolved Adesina of allegations

…concurred with Bank’s committee findings

Ben Eguzozie, with agency reports

Details have emerged on how the high-level panel, established to independently review the report of the ethics committee of the boards of directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group undertook its job, coming out with a ‘no-case submission’ on Akinwunmi Adesina, president of the pan-African financial institution.

The panel, which was announced on July 1 following U.S objection to the ethics committee findings, comprised Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland as chairperson, with Hassan B. Jallow, Chief Justice of the Gambia and Leonard F. McCarthy, president, LFMcCarthy & Associates as members. The panel members were given two to four weeks to complete their work, and submit report to AfDB’s bureau of boards of governors.

On July 27, the panel submitted its report to AfDB’s bureau of boards of governors’ chairperson, Niale Kaba. It concurred with the earlier report of AfDB’s ethics committee in its findings in respect of all the allegations against Akinwunmi, president of AfDB group, finding that the ethics committee’s report “were properly considered and dismissed by the committee.”

With this, Adesina, whom the BBC once described as ‘flamboyan in a reportt,’ sails directly into a second term as the only candidate for the August election to head the AfDB group, a pan-African multilateral financial institution to which he was elected five years ago, succeeding Rwandese Donald Kaberuka.

On its part, AfDB’s bureau of boards of governors re-echoed the panel’s conclusion regarding the earlier report of the bank group’s ethics committee.

“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,” it said.

It also noted that the panel’s conclusion regarding the submission of the president (Adesina) to the ethics committee — that “it has considered the president’s submissions on their face and finds them consistent with his innocence and to be persuasive.”

The bureau expressed its appreciation to all AfDB governors for their support and patience during the process that was aimed at ensuring the integrity of the African Development Bank and its governance mechanisms, commending the panel for its work and for working tirelessly to ensure timely submission of its report.