The president-elect had already requested the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to support the candidacy of the Minister of Agriculture as the next president of AfDB.
General Buhari, it was gathered, communicated the choice to the Ghanaian president, John Mahama, who is the current chairperson of ECOWAS.In a statement released in Abuja, on Tuesday, General Buhari said his support of Dr Adesina’s candidacy was not just because he is a Nigerian.
“Dr Adesina has a proven track record in a career that predates his position as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,” General Buhari said.
He added that Dr 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 youths.
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.