Former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has thrown her weight behind the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, as the bank’s board begins fresh probe on him.
In a tweet on Friday, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala congratulated Adesina on his fifth anniversary as AfDB boss and wished him more years at the helm of the bank’s affairs.
“Akin Congrats on your fifth anniversary and more as we look towards the future,” the former World Bank executive wrote.
Without any known contender, Adesina is due for re-election in August.
The bank’s board, however, was forced to begin an independent investigation on allegations against him, following pressure from the United States.
Adesina was accused of giving contracts to acquaintances, appointing relatives and friends to strategic positions, and giving preferential treatment to Nigeria and Nigerians among other claims.
He had earlier been cleared by the AfDB ethics committee.
