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The Spurious Charges Against Adesina and How His Responses

Published

6 years ago

August 28, 2020

Eric

Reproduced below are 15 of the 16 allegations leveled against the President of the African Development Bank, Mr. Adewunmi Adesina, and how he tried to the best of his abilities to give honest answers to each of them. The first allegation is not stated as it was not available.

Adesina, in a memorandum that highlighted his responses to all the allegations said the petitioners were not acting in good faith, as a group of independent Bank staff members who confessed to being former members of the “Group of Concerned Staff Members,” wrote a “Disassociation Note” on March 9, 2020.

He said the document provided “specific facts” to show the allegations did not meet the standards to merit as a ‘whistle-blower complaint under the terms spelt out in the Bank’s Whistleblowing and Complaints Handling Policy of January 2007.’

Allegation No. 2: Appointment of Mrs Chinelo ANOHU-AMAZU

ADESINA: Ms Chinelo Anohu-AMAZU was recruited through a globally advertised, open and competitive recruitment process. The search process was carried out by a top notch external recruitment firm, Russell Reynolds of the UK. She was one of two top candidates (both women) recommended to me as President to consider for appointment by the panel. But, I can state categorically that the allegations made against her are untrue and defamatory.

Allegation No 3: Appointment and promotions of Martin FREGENE

ADESINA: Mr Fregene is NOT my brother-in-law. There is no evidence he is. Second, Mr Fregene is a world-class geneticist, internationally renowned for his work on plant genetics of cassava, and who worked earlier at CIAT, Colombia, one of the CGIAR centres, and subsequently as Director at the Danforth Plant Science Centre (probably the second largest private agricultural research centres in the United States).

He returned from the diaspora to Nigeria to work as Chief Technical Advisor when I was Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria. He was hired as a consultant by the Bank Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Jennifer Blake, to support her in the development of the Bank’s Feed Africa strategy. I approved the recommended hire which was entirely within my power to do.

Allegation No. 4: Mismanagement of the TAAT programme

ADESINA: Allegations against me concerning the TAAT are belied by objective and solid facts demonstrating no violation by me of the Code of Conduct.

TAAT is an initiative of the Bank developed to help take agricultural technologies to the scale of millions of farmers across Africa.

Although some staff made some mistakes in the procurement process, this is being investigated by the Bank and no findings have been made yet. There was no impropriety.

The president does not get involved in contractual issues in the Bank, except in cases involving matters that may affect the image, reputation and interests of the Bank.

Allegation No. 5: Appointments and promotions of Mrs Maria MULUNDI

ADESINA: Ms Maria Mulindi worked with me prior to joining the Bank. She was part of my transition management team as I prepared to take office at the Bank following my election as President, and she very ably led all engagements with the Bank with my transition team. All Presidents of the Bank are allowed to bring in and appoint their own Chief of Staff and advisers, to help them to implement their mandate.

Allegation No 6: Direct contracting and appointment of Victor OLADOKUN

ADESINA: We went to the university together and have been very close friends since then. There is nothing in the Bank rules that says that being a friend of anyone in the Bank who gets recruited at the Bank is against Bank rules.

Allegation No. 7: Contracting of Kapil KAPOOR

ADESINA: The African Development Bank, under my chairmanship of the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) Heads, was tasked to help further develop my proposal to the group on how we can work collectively to leverage global institutional investors to invest in infrastructure and other sectors.

Kapil Kapoor, who was previously the Director of Strategy and Policies of the Bank, prior to his appointment as the Director General for Southern Africa, had been leading this work working closely with all other MDBs.

Kapil was essentially doing this work on top of his regular work as Director General. He retired from the Bank at the end of August 2019.

Allegation No. 8: Appointment of Emmanuel EZINWA:

ADESINA: The allegation that “A Nigerian, Mr EZINWA was found guilty of sexually harassing a colleague during his probation period; and despite his misconduct, (I) requested that Mr. EZINWA’s contract be confirmed, thus forcing the HR Director, Mrs Frauke HARNISCHFEGER resign is false.

The truth is that I do not know Mr EZINWA and have never met him in the Bank. The President does not get involved in any staff appraisals except for Vice Presidents and direct reports.

The then HR Director, Mr. David Ssegawa, evaluated the staff and there was nothing about sexual harassment.

Mrs Frauke HARNISCHFEGER was not the HR Director in 2018. The HR Director in 2018 was Mr David Ssegawa, who evaluated the staff and recommended the staff, as per the standard procedures of the Bank, to the President. Ms HARNISCHFEGER joined the Bank in 2019, one year after a confirmation recommendation made by the predecessor HR Director.

Allegation No 9: Preferential treatment for Nigeria and Nigerians

ADESINA: I did not introduce an organisational chart with a Nigeria Country Directorate. The decision to open a Nigeria Country Directorate was taken by the Board of Directors under my predecessor, the former President of the Bank, Donald Kaberuka.

Allegation No 10: Awards received by the President and costs borne by the Bank

ADESINA: I received the World Food Prize ($250,000) and the Sunhak Peace Prize ($500,000) in recognition of a life of accomplishments in the field of agriculture. Although they were individual prizes, they brought great credit and prestige to the AfDB.

I brought further credit to myself and the Bank by donating these two cash awards for the establishment of the World Hunger Fighters Foundation, a foundation that has garnered contributions from others and now funds the Borlaug Adesina Fellows Fellowship for young African Agribusiness Innovators.

The expenses of the World Food Prize event, including musical entertainment (musical groups from Nigeria and the Glee Club from Purdue University (my alma mater) were defrayed by the World Food Prize Foundation.

Allegation 11: Settlements for staff separations

ADESINA: The allegation that somehow the former Chief Economist, Mr Celestine Monga, departed the Bank with improper payments is false. The Chief Economist was not dismissed. Contract non-renewal is not dismissal of staff.

Allegation 12: Resignation of Mr David SSEGAWA

ADESINA: Mr Ssegawa was the HR Director. It is not true that I, as President, allowed him to resign when there was an investigation. There was absolutely no investigation of David Ssegawa when he resigned, nor was one contemplated.

Allegation No 13: Resignation of Mr Michel-Cyr DJIENA-WEMBOU

ADESINA: The allegation that I allowed the country manager to resign when he was under investigation for corruption is false. The President does not run country offices. They are under a Director General and overall oversight of a Vice President.

Allegation No. 14: Appointment of Mr Charles LUFUMPA as acting VP and Chief Economist

ADESINA: The allegations against me over the appointment of Charles Lufumpa as Acting Vice President and Chief Economist are patently false. My conclusion after careful review of the case of Charles Lufumpa is that the investigations conducted were very faulty and cannot prove the allegations made against him. My review also showed a well-orchestrated effort to make Mr Lufumpa a scapegoat for failures of others to do their job.

Allegation No. 15: Disregard of rules concerning leave of absence of VPs or travel of management.

ADESINA: The President does not monitor or manage time off for staff as that’s done by the Human Resources. The truth is the Vice President had personal medical issues that he had to get attended to (his private life must be respected) that required him to be away for extended periods, as needed, and he travelled with full knowledge of the department of health of the Bank which was monitoring him while away on medical reasons.

Allegation No 16: Political lobbying of Heads of State

ADESINA: It is alleged that as President I basically bribed and corrupted the 16 African Heads of State and governments in the ECOWAS region to support my candidacy for re-election.

The allegation essentially impugns the integrity, leadership and honesty of 16 African presidents and ECOWAS. This is a fanciful and baseless allegation.

Summary

In summary, every single one of the 16 allegations against me in the Disclosure remains unsubstantiated. I have not violated the Code of Conduct. The Ethics Committee should so find and dismiss the matter.

Featured

Fake Agency Scandal: NDC Demands Gbajabiamila’s Sack

Published

1 day ago

July 3, 2026

Eric

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately remove his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linking him to an alleged multi-billion-naira corruption scandal involving a purported non-existent government agency, the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the opposition party described the allegations as grave and said Gbajabiamila’s continued stay in office could compromise any credible investigation into the matter.

The NDC’s demand follows allegations made by Prince Mathew Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the PFIPC, an agency the Presidency has publicly denied exists.

According to the party, the allegations raise serious concerns about transparency, accountability and integrity within the Tinubu administration.

The NDC alleged that despite the Presidency’s denial of the agency’s existence, the PFIPC purportedly secured budgetary allocations in the 2026 Appropriation Act and opened a domiciliary account, a Pound Sterling account and a Treasury Single Account (TSA) domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The party questioned how an agency described as non-existent could allegedly establish multiple high-level government financial accounts without official approval or the required documentation.

It also called on the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to explain whether forged documents were used in processing the accounts.

The statement further alleged that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation approved 314 staff positions for the purported agency, describing the development as another issue requiring urgent explanation.

According to the NDC, the allegations also include claims that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s take-off grant, reportedly valued at N27.39 billion, a request Adeyemi allegedly rejected.

The party also cited Adeyemi’s claim that he secured his appointment through the Chief of Staff after allegedly paying N600 million, of which N400 million was allegedly paid through proxies, while N200 million remained outstanding.

It said the alleged unpaid balance reportedly contributed to the Presidency’s subsequent denial of the agency’s existence.

The NDC further alleged that the claims point to a wider pattern of institutional corruption, including the alleged sale of public appointments.

The party also linked the controversy to the death of Babatunde Tanimola, whom it described as an intermediary between Adeyemi and the Chief of Staff.

According to the statement, Tanimola reportedly died in a fire incident at a hotel in Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025, a day after the police reportedly received a petition from the Chief of Staff.

The NDC also referenced Adeyemi’s claims that he survived multiple assassination attempts, including an attack along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway on September 7, 2025, and alleged that certain individuals within government are plotting to eliminate him.

Against the backdrop of the allegations, the party demanded the immediate removal of Gbajabiamila to allow what it described as a full and impartial investigation.

It also called on President Tinubu to establish an independent investigative panel to examine the alleged operations of the PFIPC, including its budgetary allocations, financial transactions, account openings and staff recruitment.

The NDC further urged investigators to probe the circumstances surrounding Tanimola’s death and the alleged assassination attempts on Adeyemi, while recommending that Adeyemi be granted witness protection.

The party also demanded that the Chief of Staff produce all official documents signed since assuming office for forensic examination.

In addition, it called for the questioning of officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation over their alleged roles in the matter.

The opposition party also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Police Force to commence what it described as a thorough investigation without fear or favour.

“The NDC will not accept the usual tactic of issuing a mere defensive press release from the Presidency as a deflective ploy. Nigerians deserve to know the truth through a transparent process that promotes fairness and justice,” the statement said.

The Presidency has previously maintained that the PFIPC is not a recognised government agency.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Presidency nor Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila had responded to the fresh allegations contained in the NDC statement.

Featured

Glo-sponsored African Voices Features Former CNN Anchor, Isha Sesay

Published

1 day ago

July 3, 2026

Eric

Accomplished journalist and former Cable News Network (CNN) International anchor, Isha Sesay, will this week return to the studios of the global news network, not as an interviewer, but as the subject of its celebrated 30-minute magazine programme, African Voices, sponsored by telecommunications giant, Globacom.

The episode will shine a spotlight on the remarkable journey of the distinguished broadcaster whose career has traversed some of the most influential corridors of international journalism.

The 50-year-old British-Sierra Leonean media personality, born on January 6, 1976, rose to prominence through an illustrious career at CNN, which she joined as a news anchor in 2005 after distinguished stints with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Sky News. Over the years, Sesay became one of the most recognisable and respected faces in global television news, bringing clarity and composure to some of the world’s most consequential stories.

An alumna of Trinity College, Cambridge, United Kingdom, Sesay steadily carved a distinctive niche for herself in broadcast journalism. In 2009, she became the host of the inaugural edition of International Desk, CNN’s weekly news programme, further cementing her reputation as a journalist of substance and international standing.

Her career afforded her the opportunity to engage with numerous eminent personalities, including former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and his successor, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, among other notable global figures.

Sesay also contributed to Anderson Cooper 360° as presenter of the 360 Bulletin, a role she assumed on January 17, 2011. Subsequently, she was reassigned as anchor of another flagship news programme, CNN NewsCenter, continuing a professional trajectory that reflected both versatility and excellence.

Beyond the newsroom, Sesay has demonstrated a deep commitment to social impact. In 2014, she launched her educational and humanitarian non-profit advocacy initiative for the African girl-child. The organisation, aptly named Women Everywhere Can Lead, has since provided educational support and empowerment opportunities aimed at nurturing a new generation of female leaders across the continent.

More recently, Sesay captured public attention with her personal journey into motherhood, welcoming her first child through In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) as a single mother. Her experience has resonated with many women around the world, adding another compelling chapter to a life story already rich in courage, resilience and inspiration.

On this edition of African Voices, Sesay will share insights into her distinguished career, her enduring advocacy for girls’ education and empowerment, as well as her new and deeply personal adventure into motherhood. The programme will air on Saturday at 7.30am.

Repeat broadcasts will follow at 11.00am on the same day, while additional screenings are scheduled for Sunday at 3.30am and 6.00pm. Further rebroadcasts will air on Monday at 3.00am and 5.45pm, and on Tuesday at 5.45 pm, with the same time belt continuing into the following week until Monday at 3.00am

Featured

President Tinubu Addresses Wife, Remi, As ‘Iya Alakara’

Published

1 day ago

July 3, 2026

Eric

President Bola Tinubu drew laughter at the Presidential Press Corps Dinner on Thursday, after playfully referring to First Lady Oluremi Tinubu as “Iya Alakara”, a Yoruba phrase meaning “the woman who sells bean cakes”

The light-hearted moment happened during the inaugural dinner at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja as the President welcomed guests.

Addressing the audience, Tinubu said: “Good evening, gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara.”

The audience laughed as the First Lady smiled.

The remark referred to recent online reactions to comments made by Oluremi Tinubu about small businesses.

At a recent event under the Renewed Hope Initiative, she encouraged women to consider small businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli, saying they need little start-up capital.

Her comments sparked debate on social media, with some Nigerians saying the advice did not reflect the country’s current economic situation.

Responding to the criticism days later, the First Lady said her remarks were misunderstood and explained that the programme supports different types of small traders and provides grants to help them grow.

The President’s remark was widely seen as a light joke about the online debate over the First Lady’s comments and public concerns about the country’s economic situation.