Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the African Development bank will forever remain indebted to former vice president Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Unknown to many, the two have come a long way even before Adesina was elected as the president of the African Development Bank.
If not for a drastic step taken by Atiku, perhaps, Adesina might still be holding his position as the Vice President of Policy and Partnerships for the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa, AGRA.
Adesina was nominated by the former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as Nigeria’s candidate to vie for the presidential seat of the African Development Bank.
Retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the former Head of State, had called Adesina to advise him to seek help so that he would win the election and emerge president of the bank.
He was instructed to get in touch with Atiku who could introduce him to the crème de la crème of the bank’s member states and some of the regional African member states who would determine his fate at the polls.
Recalling Atiku’s benevolence, the former minister of Agriculture and Rural Development revealed that one of the notable visits they embarked upon was the visit to the president of South Africa then, Jacob Zuma.
Atiku not only flew him in his private jet but stood by him for the five minutes he was given to defend his cause in the presence of Zuma.
The Turaki of Adamawa was the driving force that made Zuma second Adesina’s candidacy before he was eventually elected as the president of the bank.
Adesina has since served his first term and is currently serving his second term.
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