Ex-Finance Minister, Ahmed Bags World Bank Appointment

•Insists due process followed in securing new job

Ndubuisi  Francis in Abuja

The immediate-past Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed has been appointed as an Alternate Executive Director (AED) at the headquarters of the World Bank Group in Washington D.C, United States of America.

She is billed to resume duties on July 10.

However, an online platform has alleged that due process was not adhered to in securing the plum job, an allegation the former minister has dismissed.

Citing Washington sources, Per Second News, an online platform at the weekend, had alleged that the former minister had on the eve of the termination of the Buhari’s administration, “single-handedly nominated herself as the federal government’s candidate without the approval of the outgoing President and the incoming President Bola Tinubu.”

The medium further alleged that, “the World Bank Group months ago wrote a letter to the government of Nigeria requesting for the CVs of at least three economists to fill a vacant position of the AED,” adding that, “the letter was passed through the office of the Minister of Finance who hid the letter, thereby denying the federal government input into the nomination process.”

However, in her reaction to the allegation, the former minister said: “The report (about not following due process) is false. Mr. President (Muhammadu Buhari) approved the nomination. This was conveyed to the bank.”

This was corroborated in a statement by her media adviser, Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi.

In a short response to THISDAY’s inquiry over the controversy, Abdullahi disclosed that Buhari endorsed Ahmed’s appointment in April 2023.

He said: “Thank you for your enquiry. In the first instance, the World Bank is a reputable organisation with its rules and processes.

“Secondly, any one working at that level of AED, must be a representative of his or her country and would have gotten such approval and endorsement from his or her government.

“It will be recalled that the position became available in October 2022.

“Mr. President was notified and approval was gotten in April 2023, but with the understanding that Dr. Zainab Ahmed cannot report until after the end of her tenure as minister.

“Therefore, the former minister couldn’t have nominated herself and also approved such. I can therefore confirm to you that the former President approved her being the AED at the World Bank representing Nigeria.”