Anambra Debt: Peter Obi Speaks On Relationship With Soludo

Former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, said he has no disagreement with his successor, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, and has no intention of contesting for any state governorship again.

Naija News reports that Obi made the clarification on Thursday, on Arise TV, while addressing issues surrounding the recent controversy over the financial obligations associated with projects undertaken during his eight-year tenure as Anambra governor.

The former governor said he had remained silent in recent days because he was mourning his late elder brother and friend, Chief Okey Ezeibe.

He, however, said he had decided to address some of the issues that had generated public debate.

“I wish to assure the public that I have no disagreement with my dear elder brother, Governor Soludo, or with any governor in Nigeria. I am not seeking the office of governor in any state, and I will not seek that position again, even if the Constitution is amended,” he stated.

Obi also urged governors across the country to allow presidential candidates and other contestants to campaign freely in their states, regardless of political affiliation.

He said governors were entitled to support their preferred presidential candidates but should also allow voters to hear from other contenders.

“Accordingly, I appeal to governors to support whichever presidential candidate they choose while also permitting and assisting other presidential candidates and contenders for other offices to campaign freely and without interruption in their states. Ultimately, voters should be allowed to determine whom they wish to serve them,” he said.

The NDC candidate also urged political actors to focus on the challenges confronting Nigerians rather than allowing political disagreements to dominate public discourse.

He further stated, “On the Anambra debt question, I have remained silent over the past few days because I have been grieving the loss of my very dear elder brother and friend, Chief Okey Ezeibe.

“However, the time has come for me to address some of the matters that have occupied public discussion in recent days. I respectfully urge everyone to concentrate on the existential challenges confronting Nigeria and the hardships endured by its citizens, rather than on the needless distractions that have become widespread in our politics.”

The comments came amid a renewed disagreement between Obi and the Anambra State Government over external loans linked to projects implemented during his administration.

The Soludo administration has said eight external facilities associated with projects during Obi’s tenure had a combined contracted value of $123.77 million, with $92.35 million outstanding as of June 30, 2026, based on figures it attributed to the Debt Management Office.

Obi has rejected the description of the facilities as “debt owed by Peter Obi,” arguing that the funds were primarily World Bank and International Fund for Agricultural Development development programmes negotiated by the Federal Government and accessed by participating states through subsidiary arrangements.

According to him, the amount approved, the amount actually drawn, and the balance outstanding should not be presented as the same figure.

“The government has combined these distinct categories, added them together, and described the resulting US$123.77 million as ‘loans left by Peter Obi.’ That is an incorrect application of public-sector accounting,” he argued.

Obi maintained that he did not personally approach any financial institution to borrow money or issue a bond on behalf of Anambra State.

“Regarding the multilateral funding inaccurately described as ‘debt owed by Peter Obi’ in Anambra State, I wish to state unequivocally, as Governor of Anambra State, I did not approach any financial institution to borrow funds or issue a bond on behalf of the state,” he said.

He also recalled a statement attributed to former Director-General of the DMO, Abraham Nwankwo, during a farewell event marking his departure from office.

“Indeed, at his farewell ceremony, the then Director-General of the DMO, Abraham Nwankwo, appointed me chairman and declared that, during his 10 years in office, I was the only state governor who had not approached him for a loan facility,” Obi said.

Obi further maintained that his administration left no unpaid salaries, gratuities or pensions and no verified debts owed to contractors or suppliers whose work had been completed.

“When I left office, the Anambra State Government owed no unpaid salaries, gratuities, or pensions. Neither did it owe any contractor or supplier who had completed work that the government had verified and certified,” he said.

The former governor said the facilities in question should instead be examined based on how they were approved, accessed, drawn down, and repaid.

“The eight facilities identified were primarily World Bank and IFAD development programs negotiated by the Federal Government, with participating states receiving access to the funds through subsidiary arrangements.

“They were not conventional commercial loans that I personally secured during my tenure. This does not suggest that Anambra had no repayment responsibilities; rather, each facility must be examined in light of its approval, effectiveness, drawdown, and repayment record,” he explained.

Obi also questioned the figures being used to attribute the $123.77 million in facilities to his administration.

He said records he cited from the DMO showed Anambra’s external debt at about $18 million when he assumed office in March 2006, about $30 million when he left in March 2014, and approximately $45.15 million by December 2014.

“The clearest contradiction appears in the government’s own figures. It states that the original facilities amounted to approximately US$123.77 million and that US$92.35 million remained outstanding in June 2026.

“However, the DMO’s published records showed Anambra’s total external debt at approximately US$18 million when I began my tenure in March 2006, about US$30 million in March 2014, when I left office, and approximately US$45.15 million as of 31 December 2014, nine months after my departure,” he said.

Obi therefore challenged the Anambra Government to explain how it arrived at the $123.77 million figure attributed to his administration.

“The Anambra State Government must therefore clarify how a state whose recorded external debt was about US$30 million in March 2014 and US$45.15 million in December 2014 could supposedly have inherited US$123.77 million from Peter Obi, who left office in March of that same year,” he added.