‘Where Did You Get Dollars To Save?’ – Oshiomhole Challenges Peter Obi Over $150 Million

The senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has questioned the source of the $150 million the former Anambra governor saved while in office.

According to Oshiomhole, he and Obi served on the National Economic Council, chaired by the Vice President, when governors pushed to have their allocations paid in dollars because the official exchange rate differed from the market rate.

He, however, said the federal government rejected the proposal, insisting the naira was Nigeria’s recognised currency.

Oshiomhole subsequently questioned how Obi could successfully save in dollars when the federal government pays states’ allocations in naira.

Naija News reports that he spoke during an interview on Symfoni TV published on Thursday.

The former Edo State governor said, “Where did you get dollars to save? Did you receive naira from Abuja and go to bid for dollars to save for Anambra State?”

Oshiomhole also challenged Obi’s claim that he did not borrow money while serving as governor, arguing that World Bank facilities could constitute loans even when repayment was deferred.

He said he also accessed World Bank facilities as Edo governor, including instruments known as budget support.

“If you are not paying it immediately, it’s not a loan? It’s in the books, and a future government will necessarily pay it anyway,” Oshiomhole said.

He added that repayment moratoriums could mean that a governor leaves office before a loan becomes due, leaving a successor administration to meet the obligation.

Oshiomhole said he believed this was the point Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra governor, was trying to make when discussing Obi’s financial record.