No fewer than 40 million members of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, weekend, lauded re-election of Dr Akinwunmi Adesina as African Development Bank’s, AfDB, President for a second term.
This was contained in a statement signed by the National President, AFAN, Arc Kabir Ibrahim, saying farmers in Nigeria making one of the largest populations in the country put their confidence in Adesina because of his track record over the years, particularly when he was Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who legacies can still be seen in the sector.
The farmers also described him as a possessor of requisite qualifications of energy, competence and integrity to lead any financial institution in the world.
It will be recalled that Adesina was re-elected at the 2020 Annual General Meeting, AGM, of the bank, via zoom platform between August 26 and 28, 2020.
The technocrat with vast agricultural experience and expertise was levelled with allegations that almost dented his hard-earned reputation and professionalism while he sought for re-election as AfDB’s helmsman.
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But with findings from the investigation carried out by an independent investigation panel he was cleared of all allegations before the election.
The statement reads in part, “The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) on behalf of the 40,000,000 (Forty million farmers of Nigeria) wishes to congratulate Dr Akinwumi Ayodeji Adeshina on his re-election and subsequent inauguration for the second time as the President of the African Development Bank(AfDB).
“We are especially proud that Dr Adeshina possesses the requisite qualifications of Energy, Competence and Integrity to lead any Financial Institution in the World.”
The farmers expressed optimism that with Adesina’s second term in office will bring about a revolution in the agricultural sector across Africa, particularly in Nigeria.
They also called for support from African leaders help him (Adesina) succeed in order for farmers to boost productivity ahead of a post-COVID-19 era, which will demand massive food production and availability to the people, which is also a recovery process, hence huge support is need from the Bank.
“We believe he will do even better in this second and final term”, he stated
Meanwhile, the AFAN President made it known that he personally supported his (Adesina) re-election because of their working relationship when the latter was Minister of Agriculture while he was the National President of Poultry Association of Nigeria, PAN, at the time.
“I personally supported his re-election based on my working knowledge of his capability when he served as the Honorable Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria meritoriously and I was the National President of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN)”, he said.
