Obi insists he left Anambra debt-free, rejects Soludo govt claims

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, has denied claims by the Anambra State Government that his administration left the state with debt. In an interview on Arise TV’s *Prime Time* programme, Obi stated that his administration left Anambra in 2014 without owing any salaries, pensions, or contractor payments.

He emphasized that the state was not owing any contractors or suppliers who had completed their jobs. The president-elect asserted that the loans being attributed to his administration were not funds he personally obtained from financial institutions. He argued that some of the funding arrangements were supported by the Federal Government, specifically through a multilateral concessionary support program for Anambra, Ekiti, and Bauchi states.

Obi explained that these funds, which included the World Bank, were not obtained from commercial banks, and the drawdown occurred after he left office. He further contested the notion that undrawn funds should be considered debt, citing a public sector accounting principle. Obi also referenced a former Debt Management Office Director-General, Abraham Nwankwo, who had publicly stated that Obi was the only governor in Nigeria who never sought approval to borrow money.

The controversy stems from recent allegations by the Anambra State Government that Obi left outstanding external loans and other liabilities. The state government has demanded that Obi withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, citing unpaid salaries, pension, gratuity arrears, and a disputed ecological fund account.