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Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has rejected claims by the state government that his administration left loans that are still being repaid, insisting that he settled all obligations that were due when he handed over power in 2014.
Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), made the clarification in a viral video from the Voice of Ndi Anambra Podcast, following comments by the state Commissioner for Finance, Izuchukwu Okafor, that deductions were still being made from Anambra’s federal allocation to service loans incurred by previous administrations, including those of Obi and Willie Obiano.
Obi said his administration left no unpaid salaries, pensions, gratuities, suppliers or contractors whose work had been completed and whose documents had been processed.
“As at the day I left office, I was not owing any salary, pension, or gratuity that Anambra state government is supposed to pay,” he said
“I was not owing any supplier or contractor that had executed his job and his documents processed, not one. The day I left office; I paid what was due to be paid. I wasn’t owing any contractors.”
The former governor also challenged the state government over an ecological fund of about ₦2.1 billion which he said was in an account with First Bank when he left office.
According to Obi, the money was received from the Federal Government about three months before his departure and was earmarked for a specific erosion-control project.
“The day I left office, I had an account in the First Bank of Nigeria, a branch in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, an ecological fund account with a balance of about N2.1 billion,” he recalled.
“I had it in the bank. And it is not included in the money I left, reason being that it was dedicated specifically for a particular erosion project that was supposed to be ongoing.”
Obi said members of his administration had proposed spending the fund before his departure, but he rejected the idea because he wanted to ensure a smooth transition for his successor.
He also challenged anyone disputing the account balance to produce evidence showing what happened to the money.
“I say it again, if you go to the account, I’m going to give you the account number. I have given you the bank and the branch. If you see anything contrary to the day I left office, I will stop campaigning,” he said.
The former governor also addressed the 2027 political contest, saying Governor Chukwuma Soludo and other governors had the right to support any presidential candidate.
He said his demand was for the election to be free, fair and credible, adding that the final outcome should be determined by voters rather than governors.
“But it is the people of Nigeria that will decide, not the governors, unless they’re going to write the results or rig the election, which is what I’m preaching against,” he said.
“Let it be a free, fair and credible election. Whatever the people decide, I will respect it.”
