The rights of FHLBA under this Agreement may, without the consent of the Participant, be assigned by FHLBA, in its sole and unfettered discretion, to any person, firm, corporation or other business entity which at any time, whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, directly or indirectly, acquires all or substantially all of the assets or business of FHLBA. FHLBA shall require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of FHLBA expressly to assume and to agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that FHLBA would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place; provided , however , that no such assumption shall relieve FHLBA of its obligations hereunder.