AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina turns down presidency calls

President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Akinwumi Adesina has turned down calls for him to run for the office of Nigeria’s president in the 2023 election.

A group of loyalists early May purchased the nomination form of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for Adesina to potentially succeed President Muhammadu Buhari whose second term tenure ends in May 2023.

Adesina, a former Nigeria Agriculture minister in a statement, said he is “extremely humbled by several calls from Nigerians at home and abroad that I should consider running for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I am very touched by all who have gone to great extent, with such huge sacrifices, of their own volition, to consider me worthy to be proposed for potential consideration.

“The coalition groups of youth, women, farmers, physically challenged and well-meaning Nigerians that have done this have expressed their genuine free will, political right, freedom of expression and association for my consideration, with the interest of Nigeria at heart.”

Adesina, however, said he remains focused and engaged in his role of serving Africans as President of the AfDB, saying “my current responsibilities at this time do not allow me to accept to be considered.”

“I remain 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 Africa’s development,” Adesina said.

“I remain fully focused on the mission of supporting the accelerated development and economic integration of Africa.”