Former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) 2027 presidential candidate Peter Obi has rejected claims by the Anambra State Government that his administration left behind inherited debts, including a ₦2 billion ecological loan, contractor liabilities, and unpaid salaries, gratuities, and pensions.
Obi described the claims as “completely false” in a statement responding to the allegations.
According to him, his administration systematically cleared historical gratuities and arrears accumulated over several years, amounting to more than ₦35 billion. He said that at the point of handover, the state had no outstanding obligations in salaries, gratuities, or pensions, and owed no contractor for projects that had been duly executed and certified.
Addressing the disputed ecological fund, Obi said the ₦2 billion was released approximately three months before the end of his tenure to address the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis. He explained that he declined pressure to spend the money, insisting that it should be preserved for his successor because government was a continuum and the funds were earmarked for a specific project.
Obi maintained that the money remained intact in a First Bank account, with a balance exceeding ₦2.13 billion at the time of handover. He further stated that funds reserved for specific projects or purposes were not included in the more than ₦75 billion in savings he said his administration left behind.
“If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning,” Obi said.
The former governor’s statement comes amid renewed debate over the financial position of Anambra State under his administration and the obligations allegedly inherited by subsequent governments.
