James Emejo in Abuja
The Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association of Nigeria (FACAN) wednesday declared its unwavering support and confidence in the embattled President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina.
The association said it believed that the ongoing persecution of Adesina, concerning the allegations of ethical misconducts made against him by a group of whistle-blowers, were mere attempts by vested interests to discredit the person and office of the AfDB president.
Speaking at a media briefing yesterday, FACAN Deputy President, Mr. Sheriff Balogun, alongside other leadership of relevant commodities associations, said Adesina’s achievements as Nigeria’s minister of agriculture and rural development as well as his bold and unprecedented reforms at the AfDB since 2015 were exemplary.
He said his visionary leadership has in the course of five years ensured that the AfDB is strategically positioned both globally and regionally to steer the development agenda of Africa.
According to him, the AfDB president’s bold efforts to drive significant investments into Africa has substantially repositioned the continent for revolutionary accomplishments.
He said: “FACAN is immensely proud of Adesina and will continue to support him as he leads the charge to transform the African continent.
“We have looked at all of these and analysed it and we know Adesina is a man of integrity and we stand by him.
“We have full unflinching support for Mr. Adesina. We support him for all that he has achieved even when he was agriculture minister and for the good works he’s been doing at the AfDB.
“And we think what is happening is just a matter of vested interests to destabilise his purpose and mission and the good works that he is doing.
“We have written the board of governors of AfDB expressing our support for Dr. Adesina and also expressing our dismay and disenchantment with what we think is a ploy trying to stop him from coming for second term.”
President, National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN), Mr. Alphonsus Inyang, told THISDAY that Adesina deserved the backing of FACAN because he has, “approved the funding and set up of agro processing zones in Nigeria. The AfDD under him has increased funding for agriculture in Africa and is promoting agriculture as a business not as a development programme. He has attracted over $100 billion to Africa through the Africa Investment Fund among others.”
FACAN has over two million members and 45 distinct commodity associations under its auspices.
