TheCable

Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s president-elect, has requested the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to support the candidature of Akinwunmi Adesina as the next president of the African Development Bank (ADB).

Buhari has communicated his backing of Adesina’s candidature to John Dramani Mahama, president of Ghana who doubles as current chairman of the ECOWAS.

In a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday, Buhari said that his support for Adesina was not just because he is Nigerian.

“Dr Adesina has a proven track record in a career that predates his position as Nigeria’s minister for agriculture and rural development,”  he said.

He added that Adesina had years of experience of working in Francophone and Anglophone countries, and a passion to help eradicate poverty in Africa by reducing unemployment and inequality among African youth.

“Adesina is also an agricultural development expert with 24 years of experience in developing and managing successful agricultural programmes across Africa,” he said.

“Until his appointment as the minister of agriculture and rural development in 2011, he was the vice-president, policy and partnerships Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Additionally, he has held senior leadership positions in a number of agricultural institutions in the world.”