Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has reacted to the claim by a British lawmaker, Tom Tugendhat, that Yakubu Gowon looted half of Nigeria’s central bank when he was overthrown in 1975.
Tugendhat, a member of the British parliament, made the allegation on Monday, November 23, when British legislators debated a petition calling for sanctions against Nigeran government officials allegedly involved in human rights abuses amid the #EndSARS protests.
However, Adesina who is Nigeria’s previous minister of agriculture described the allegation as misinformation in a tweet he posted on Thursday, November 26.
According to the AfDB president, Gowon who is Nigeria’s previous military head of state is an admirable elder statesman with impeccable honesty and integrity.
The tweet reads:
“Be careful of misinformation! H.E. General Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s previous Head of State, is a man of great honour, decency, honesty, amazing simplicity, humility and integrity. I know him. A great and admirable elder statesman of Nigeria. His honesty and integrity are impeccable.”
