The Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has challenged the Anambra State Government to provide evidence supporting claims that his administration left behind a ₦2 billion ecological loan, unpaid contractor liabilities and outstanding salaries, gratuities and pensions.
Obi, who served as Anambra State governor from 2006 to 2013, described the allegations as false, insisting that his administration cleared more than ₦35 billion in historical gratuities and arrears accumulated before he assumed office.
He made the declaration in a statement posted on X on Tuesday while responding to what he described as trending claims by the state government concerning the financial liabilities allegedly inherited from his administration.
Obi said that at the time he handed over power, the state had no outstanding salaries, gratuities or pensions, while contractors whose projects had been duly executed and certified were also fully paid.
“We systematically liquidated historical gratuities and arrears dating back several years, amounting to over ₦35 billion. At the point of handover, the state owed nothing in salaries, gratuities, or pensions, nor did we owe anything to any contractor for projects duly executed and certified,” he said.
The former governor also challenged the claim surrounding the alleged ₦2 billion ecological loan, explaining that the money was released less than three months before the end of his tenure for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis.
According to him, he deliberately refused to spend the funds despite pressure to do so, choosing instead to leave the money for the incoming administration because it had been earmarked for a specific project.
Obi said the funds remained untouched in First Bank, giving the account number as 2018779464 and putting the balance at more than ₦2.13 billion.
“The ₦2 billion ecological fund in question was released barely three months before the end of my tenure for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis. Despite pressure to spend the money, I refused, insisting that it should be left for my successor because government is a continuum and the funds were tied to a specific project,” he said.
He further argued that funds reserved for specific projects and purposes were not included in the more than ₦75 billion in savings he claimed his administration left for its successor.
The dispute comes amid renewed scrutiny of the financial position inherited by successive administrations in Anambra State, with claims over debts and savings becoming part of the political debate surrounding the state’s management of public resources.
Obi challenged the state government or anyone else to produce evidence contradicting his account.
“If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning,” he said.
The former governor maintained that his administration’s financial records should be subjected to scrutiny, insisting that claims concerning public funds must be supported by verifiable evidence.
