While an internal investigation has just cleared the African Development Bank (AfDB) President of accusations of prevarication and favoritism made against him, his accusers are now attacking the Ethics Committee that conducted the investigation. They doubt its probity and are calling for an independent investigation.
The whistleblowers at the African Development Bank (AfDB) have not been convinced by the internal investigation conducted by the institution’s Ethics Committee: revealed Monday, May 11, it exonerates President Akinwumi Adesina of accusations of favoritism and prevarication launched for months by a group of anonymous employees.
Grievances are “unfounded, unsubstantiated and unsupported” according to the Ethics Committee. But whistleblowers are challenging the Board’s work, which they say is “flawed and manipulated. In their view, this internal body has not really sought to investigate. They are now calling for independent work. This case has been poisoning the atmosphere at the AfDB for months.
The group of anonymous employees claims that Adesina has appointed, promoted or even rewarded people suspected or known to be involved in fraud and corruption, and that it has also favored its Nigerian compatriots for the positions to be filled. A month ago, on RFI, Adesina denounced political motivations, without further details, on the part of the accusers.
Adesina is a candidate for her own succession at the head of the AfDB next August.