1st June, 2020
By Mustapha Sumaila
President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has assured Dr Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank of his support and that of his country.
In a tweet on Sunday, Bio said his country has staunch confidence in Adesina.
He therefore pledged his nation’s unflinching support for his “bold and progressive leadership of the African Development Bank”.
Be assured @akin_adesina of my and my country's staunch confidence and unflinching support for your bold and progressive leadership of the African Development Bank (@afdb_group).
— President Julius Maada Bio (@PresidentBio) May 31, 2020
Bio has joined former African leaders to rally support for embattled Adesina, who is the sole candidate for a second term bid.
The election initially scheduled for May, will now take place in August.
Adesina was recently exonerated by the bank’s ethics committee, which investigated some allegations by whistleblowers.
But the United States Department of Treasury called for an independent probe.
African leaders said the independence probe is not recognised in the governance rule of the bank.
Adesina has also got the support of Ambassador Harold Doley, the United States (U.S) first ever Representative to the AfDB.
He urged President Donald Trump’s administration to support Adesina.
Doley said supporting AfDB was a good business for America.
He noted that since Adesina took office in 2015, he has rapidly restructured the bank and refined its focus through a high-5 strategy.