AfDB Presidency: Gen Buhari Meets President Zuma Over Adesina

Forum 9 years ago

AfDB Presidency: Gen Buhari Meets President Zuma Over Adesina

President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari has intensified lobbying for the candidacy of the Minister of Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina, as President of the African Development Bank (AfDB).


To this end, Buhari, represented by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, over the weekend, met with South African president, Jacob Zuma.


According to a statement by the Atiku Media Office in Abuja, Atiku’s shuttle diplomacy to shore up the much-needed support for the Nigerian candidate follows a mandate from Buhari to him (Atiku), to leverage on his contacts to lobby for the emergence of Adesina.


It would be recalled that the president-elect who backs the candidacy of Adesina had last month conveyed his support to the President of Ghana, John Mahama, when the two leaders met in Abuja.

[ads4]
According to the statement, Atiku travelled with Mr. Adesina to South Africa over the weekend where the two met with President Zuma at the Presidential Residence in Durban.


“His Excellency, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar met President Zuma in the company of Dr Akinwumi Adesina during which the directive of the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari was conveyed to Zuma.


“The issue of South Africa and the Southern African region’s support for Nigeria’s candidate was exhaustively discussed and well appreciated,” the statement said.