Nigeria's Adesina voted AfDB President

Rwanda backed a winning candidate in yesterday’s election for President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), which saw Nigerian candidate Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina win with 58.10 per cent of the vote to replace outgoing President Donald Kaberuka.Dr. Adesina defeated Chad’s Kordjé Bedoumra and Cape Verde’s Cristina Duarte who, respectively obtained 31.62 percent and 10.27 percent of the final vote.Ghana nominated Dr. Adesina whose candidature was seconded by Uganda indicating that East Africa was behind the Nigerian candidate.In an interview with The New Times shortly after deciding the winner, the Minister of Finance Claver Gatete said the election process was smooth and its results transparent.“We are happy. Our candidate won. He’s the man fit for the job. He has all the right credentials,” Gatete said in Abidjan.The winner who takes over the Bank’s Presidency in September gave statement before the press shortly after being unveiled to the eager public, he thanked all the countries that voted for him and promised not to let them down.“I promise to be a responsible, focused and hardworking President who will work closely with all of you to build on the achievements left behind by President Donald Kaberuka,” Adesina said.The victor also pledged to be a president of all members of the bank, including those that didn’t vote for him adding that he has massive respect for all the candidates that participated in the contest.“To the governors who voted, it’s not I who won today, you have simply handed over the responsibility to manage the Bank to me,’ he said.editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Nigeria's Adesina voted AfDB President