President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, has dismissed claims that he intends to run for the Nigerian presidency in 2027.
The former Minister of Agriculture made the clarification on Thursday, following reports that he hinted at a presidential bid during an interview on Arise TV.
In the interview, Adesina was asked if he would consider running for president after his tenure at the AfDB. He responded, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere—including in my own country, Nigeria.”
His remark fueled speculations that he was positioning himself for the 2027 race.
However, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Adesina said his statement was misinterpreted.
“A segment of my recent interview on @ARISEtv has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets,” he wrote.
“For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria.”
Adesina directed the public to watch the full interview online, insisting that his words were taken out of context.
