The African Development Bank (AfDB) president, Akinwumi Adesina, says former President Muhammadu Buhari helped him through challenging circumstances.
Adesina spoke during his Thursday visit to Buhari at his Kaduna home.
A statement said that Adesina’s main goal in visiting Buhari was to express gratitude for his unwavering support during the AfDB presidency election process.
Although former President Goodluck Jonathan first proposed Buhari for the AfDB presidency, Adesina claimed Buhari was instrumental in his nomination.
He said Buhari also provided vital support during his re-election campaign in 2020.
“He strongly stood by me in difficult times, which ensured my re-election. Thank you Sir,” Adesina was quoted as saying.
The statement said Adesina recounted how, upon arriving in one of the countries for the initial election campaign, he was reminded that Jonathan, who had nominated him, was leaving office.
Calling himself a “stranded candidate,” Adesina claimed to have set up a meeting with Buhari, who was then taking office.
Buhari also remembered his first meeting with the AfDB president at the meeting, stating that he had always respected Adesina’s ethics and career.
According to Buhari, he promised to back Adesina’s AfDB presidency even though he acknowledged her ties to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“I always look at people as Nigerians, and if they need assistance, I support them on their merit,” Buhari said.
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The former president also congratulated the AfDB president on theofficial launch of the Kaduna special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZ) initiative, a flagship programme under Adesina’s leadership at the bank.
Adesina is expected to conclude his tenure as president of the AfDB by September.
