Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has rejected claims by the Anambra State Government that his administration left behind unpaid obligations, including a ₦2 billion ecological fund, contractor liabilities and outstanding salaries, gratuities and pensions.
Obi, who served as Anambra State governor before moving into national politics, described the allegations as “completely false” in a statement posted on X on Tuesday.
He said his administration cleared more than ₦35 billion in historical gratuities and arrears and handed over the state without outstanding salary, pension or gratuity obligations.
“We systematically liquidated historical gratuities and arrears dating back several years, amounting to over ₦35 billion,” Obi said.
“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 added.
The dispute follows comments from the Anambra State Government that the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo continues to service loans inherited from previous administrations, including those of Obi and former Governor Willie Obiano.
Anambra State Commissioner for Finance, Izuchukwu Okafor, said the Soludo administration had not borrowed from any commercial bank since taking office but had continued servicing inherited loans.
Okafor said deductions were being made from the state’s Federation Account Allocation Committee funds to repay loans secured by previous administrations, while the government had reduced the state’s debt burden by more than 83 per cent.
Obi, however, specifically disputed the claim concerning the ₦2 billion ecological fund.
He said the money was released less than three months before the end of his tenure to address the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis, but that he deliberately left the funds untouched for his successor because the money had been earmarked for a specific project.
“The ₦2 billion ecological fund in question was released barely three months before the end of my tenure for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis,” Obi said.
“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.”
According to Obi, the money remained intact in a First Bank account, which he said had a balance of more than ₦2.13 billion.
“It is important to stress that funds tied to specific projects or set aside for particular purposes were not even included in the over ₦75 billion in savings we left behind,” he said.
Obi also challenged the Anambra State Government or any other party to produce evidence contradicting his account.
“If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning,” he said.
The exchange comes as political parties and candidates intensify preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Obi seeking the presidency on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
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