Road to 2023: I’m focused on my job as AfDB president – Adesina

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, has declared that he is not contesting the Presidency of Nigeria.

In a personally-signed statement made available to Daily Sun, Adesina, while thanking the support group that purchased and submitted the N100 million presidential form of the All Progressives Congress for him last week, said he was concentrating on his present job as AfDB President.

The statement reads:

“I have been extremely humbled by several calls from Nigerians at home and abroad that I should consider running for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I am very touched by all who have gone to a great extent, with such huge sacrifices, of their own volition, to consider me worthy to be proposed for potential consideration.

“The coalition groups of youth, women, farmers, physically challenged and well-meaning Nigerians that have done this have expressed their genuine free will, political right, freedom of expression and association for my consideration, with the interest of Nigeria at heart.

“While I am deeply honoured, humbled and grateful for all the incredible goodwill, kindness, and confidence, my current responsibilities at this time do not allow me to accept to be considered.

“I remain fully engaged and committed to the mission that Nigeria, Africa and all the non-African shareholders of the African Development Bank have given me for Africa’s development.

“I remain fully focused on the mission of supporting the accelerated development and economic integration of Africa.

“May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. May God bless Africa.”