‘I’ll Stop Campaigning’ – Peter Obi Releases Evidence On Anambra Loan Claims

The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has debunked the claim by the Anambra State government that he left debts, including a ₦2 billion ecological loan, contractor liabilities, and unpaid salaries, gratuities, and pensions when his tenure expired.

Peter Obi, in a personally signed statement on Tuesday, vowed to stop campaigning for the 2027 presidency if anyone can establish the charges against him.

He also disclosed the bank and account number where the fund is domiciled.

Naija News recalls that the Anambra State government, led by Governor Charles Soludo, claimed it is still repaying loans obtained by previous administrations, including those of former governors Peter Obi and Willie Obiano.

The State Commissioner for Finance, Izuchukwu Okafor, made this revelation on Sunday while speaking on the Ndi Anambra podcast released by the state government’s New Media team.

He said the inherited loans are part of the incumbent administration’s financial commitments, despite the Chukwuma Soludo administration’s decision not to take fresh commercial bank loans since it came into office.

The commissioner explained the state’s current financial position and the steps the Soludo administration has taken to reduce its debt burden, saying the government has focused largely on paying existing obligations rather than taking on new debt.

However, Obi said the claims are nothing but lies.

The NDC candidate insisted that at the point of handover, the state owed nothing in salaries, gratuities, or pensions, nor did his administration owe anything to any contractor for projects duly executed and certified.

He added that despite the pressure to spend the ₦2 billion ecological fund, he decided to reserve it for the incoming administration because it was released barely three months to the end of his tenure.

“My attention has been drawn to trending claims by the Anambra State Government that my administration left behind inherited debts, including a ₦2 billion ecological loan, contractor liabilities, and unpaid salaries, gratuities, and pensions. This is completely false.

“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.

“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,” Peter Obi wrote.

To back up his claim, the former Governor disclosed that the money was left in First Bank, in Account No. 2018779464, with a balance of over ₦2.13 billion.

He added that he also left behind an additional ₦75 billion in savings.

“The money was therefore left 100 per cent intact in First Bank, in Account No. 2018779464, with a balance of over ₦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.

“If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning,” Peter Obi claimed.