LAGOS, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has emerged president of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Mr Musibau Azzze, National Coordinator of RUFIN, confirmed on Thursday in Addis Ababa that Adesina won the election.
Adesina will now take over from outgoing bank president, Donald Kaberuka, on September 1.
The election was part of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the bank in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
Adesina defeated contenders like Sufian Ahmed, Jaloul Ayed, Kordjé Bedoumra, Cristina Duarte, Samura M. W. Kamara, Thomas Z. Sakala and Birama Boubacar Sidibé to become the 50-year-old body’s eighth leader.
Reacting to his victory, Adesina told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview that he was honoured and delighted.
He promised to revolutionalise agriculture in the continent and give it a new face.
The minister said that he would not let anybody down, saying his emergence was a straight fight, which he appreciated.
Also reacting, Dr Abimbola Adubi, agricultural expert with the World Bank, described the outcome of the election as a victory for the continent.
He said Adesina would bring his experience to bear considering what he had done in the agriculture sector in Nigeria and Africa.
Credit: Tribune (Nigeria)
