Buhari sends Atiku to Zuma to lobby for Adesina for AfDB presidency

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has
commenced lobbying for the candidacy of the
Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina
as President of the African Development
Bank (AfDB).



A statement issued by Malam Garba Shehu
in Abuja on Saturday said Atiku’s shuttle
diplomacy to drum support for the Nigerian
candidate followed a mandate from the
President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the statement, Buhari asked
Atiku to leverage on his contacts to lobby for
the emergence of Adesina.

Buhari, 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.

The statement stated that Atiku travelled with
Adesina to South Africa over the weekend
where the two met with President Jacob
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 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 read in part