Withdraw from 2027 election, you have been proved wrong – Presidency tells Peter Obi

The Presidency has challenged presidential candidate Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to withdraw from the 2027 presidential election if it can be proven that his administration left Anambra State with outstanding debts. Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the challenge on X, referring to claims by the Anambra State Government about unpaid loans, salaries, pensions, and gratuities left by Obi's administration.

Onanuga noted that the state government had "confronted him with facts and figures" regarding the financial obligations left by Obi's administration. The controversy arose after Anambra Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Dr. Law Mefor, disputed Obi's claim of leaving office with a clean slate. Mefor stated that Governor Chukwuma Soludo's administration had cleared N22 billion in gratuity arrears inherited from previous governments, along with outstanding loans and arrears of salaries, pensions, and gratuities.

The state government highlighted eight external loans totaling $92.35 million, still outstanding as of June 30, 2026, which were obtained for various projects during Obi's tenure. Despite the claims, Obi maintains that his administration cleared more than N35 billion in historical gratuities and arrears and left behind more than N75 billion in savings when it handed over power.