Peter Obi Challenges Anambra Government Over Inherited Debt Claims

A public dispute has erupted between Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress and former governor of Anambra State, and the current state administration over legacy debts. The conflict began when Commissioner for Finance Izuchukwu Okafor announced that the government of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo is still servicing loans and debts inherited from previous administrations, including those of Obi and Willie Obiano.

Okafor claimed that substantial monthly deductions are made from the state's Federation Account Allocation Committee funds to repay these debts, though he noted the Soludo administration has reduced the overall debt burden by over 83 percent. Specifically, the government alleged that Obi failed to repay 2.1 billion naira in ecological funds.

Obi rejected these assertions, maintaining that he cleared all salaries, pensions, gratuities, and contractor obligations before leaving office in 2014. He asserted that he liquidated over 35 billion naira in historical arrears and left more than 75 billion naira in savings. Regarding the ecological fund, Obi claimed the money remained untouched in a First Bank account for his successor to address the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis.

Obi challenged the state government to provide evidence of any outstanding liabilities, declaring he would cease his 2027 presidential campaign if the claims are proven true. Amid the dispute, Obi also commented on the 2027 election, stating that while governors may support candidates like President Bola Tinubu, the final outcome must be determined by free and fair elections.