While the use of an independent investigation into the management of the AfDB President has appeared to have been recorded, his African support is active and confusion reigns.

In the space of 48 hours, the battle for influence over the fate of Akinwumi Adesina has taken a far more intense and visible turn than at any time since the controversy over his governance began in January.

While the decision to resort to an independent investigation into the whistleblowers' allegations regarding the governance of the President of the African Development Bank seemed to be a record, from several African capitals, there was no shortage of reactions.

No call for resignation

In a letterhead document of the Ivorian Ministry of Planning and Development, dated May 27 and transmitted the next day by the AfDB teams, Kaba Nialé, in his capacity as Chair of the Board of Governors of the institution, strongly denied any request for the Nigerian leader's resignation, contradicting allegations circulating in the Nigerian press, among others.

I AM CONFIDENT THAT FAIR PROCESSES WILL PROVE THAT I HAVE NOT VIOLATED THE CODE OF ETHICS

The Chair of the Board of Governors, which oversees the work of the Ethics Committee, acknowledged that a meeting of the Governing Council did take place on 26 May to "examine the case arising from a whistleblower complaint" and "about which I received letters. of certain shareholders expressing different points of view". However, she said "no decision has been made", without elaborating on whether or not an independent investigation is possible.

A surprising statement in view of the information relayed in recent days from within the pan-African institution and, above all, in view of the communiqué sent on May 27 by Akinwumi Adesina saying he was "convinced that fair, transparent and just processes [...] will ultimately prove that I have not violated the code of ethics" of the AfDB.

Appeals against a new investigation

Kaba Nialé's "clarification" comes as Akinwumi Adesina's supporters are mobilizing and contesting any backpedaling of the conclusions of the AfDB Ethics Committee, which had deemed unfounded the allegations of the whistleblowers against the former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture.

Even before the May 26 meeting, and a few days after U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called for an independent investigation, César Mba Abogo, Equatorial Guinea's finance minister, challenged this option from the outset, formally insisting on the implementation of Kaba Nialé's initial recommendations.

Indeed, at the beginning of May, upon receipt of the conclusions of the ethics committee, the Ivorian leader had proposed "to adopt the conclusions of the investigation by declaring that the president is fully exonerated from all the allegations made against him". For César Mba Abogo, the continuation of this controversy "not only undermines and affects the credibility of Dr. Adesina, but also contributes to the erosion of the credibility of the bank, especially the strength of its internal institutions".

Single candidate for re-election

In the same vein, Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of Nigeria and one of Akinwumi Adesina's long-time supporters, spoke out on May 26 against the US call for an independent investigation.

"This is outside the bank's rules, laws, procedures and governance systems. […] This is unprecedented. If we do not stand up to defend the AfDB, it could mean its end because its governance will have been wrested from Africa," the former Nigerian president said.

The current administration of the Federal Republic has not been left behind. In an official letter sent to Kaba Nialé on 28 May, Nigerian Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed also opposed any further independent investigation.

ADESINA HAS IMPLEMENTED EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS AND ACHIEVED IMPRESSIVE RESULTS

"The Chair of the Board of Governors followed the Bank's rules and rightly ruled that she agreed with the report and conclusions of the Ethics Committee which rejected all allegations against the President [Adesina]."

The Nigerian minister strongly advocated for the re-election of the AfDB boss in the election scheduled for August 25-27. "Dr. Adesina is the only candidate in this election. He has put in place effective programs and has achieved impressive results," she insisted, recalling that both the African Union and ECOWAS support the candidacy of the Nigerian leader.

Among the results cited by Zainab Ahmed: the historic increase in the capital of the AfDB on October 31 and the launch of a $3 billion fund dedicated to the fight against Covid-19.