Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has faulted a demand by the United States Treasury to probe the President of the African Development Bank, Akinwunmi Adesina, who had earlier been cleared of all allegations by an investigative body.

In a letter written to 12 former African Presidents including President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and John Kufour of Ghana, Obasanjo said Africa must stand up and not allow its institutions to be unduly controlled by non-African countries.

The letter reads in part:

“Instead of accepting the exoneration of the President of the bank, they (US treasury) called for an independent investigation. This is outside of the rules, laws, procedures and governance systems of the bank. The US treasury secretary disparaged the bank and the ridiculed the entire governance system of the bank which has been in place since 1964.

“If we do not rise up and defend the African Development Bank, this might mean the end of the AfDB as its governance will be hijacked away from Africa…”

Read his letter below: