Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has rejected claims that his administration left unpaid financial obligations for the current Anambra State Government to settle.
Obi, who governed Anambra State from March 2006 to March 2014, said he left office without owing workers, pensioners, contractors, suppliers or any other person whose payment was the responsibility of the state government.
His comments followed a recent statement by the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, which said the state was still repaying loans and other financial obligations inherited from previous administrations, including those of Obi and former governor Willie Obiano.
The Soludo administration said its financial management had involved addressing existing obligations while limiting the accumulation of new debt.
Responding to the claim, Obi said he was no longer in office and challenged the state government to identify anyone he allegedly owed when he left office.
“I left office as Governor nearly 13 years ago. On the day I left office, I was not owing any salaries, pensions, gratuities or any money that the Anambra State Government was supposed to pay.
“I did not owe a single supplier or contractor. If you find even one person I owed, I will end my 2027 campaign today.”
Obi’s statement specifically addressed unpaid obligations, while the broader issue of loans inherited or repaid by successive administrations remains a separate matter from whether his government left unpaid salaries, pensions, contractors or suppliers.
The former governor has made fiscal management a major part of his political record, frequently pointing to projects and financial decisions taken during his administration as evidence of responsible governance.
The latest exchange comes as Obi prepares for the 2027 presidential election, where he is seeking to return to the presidential race as the NDC candidate.
The Anambra State Government has not, in the statement cited, provided specific details identifying unpaid salaries, pensions, gratuities, suppliers or contractors allegedly left by Obi. It has instead maintained that the state is servicing financial obligations accumulated under previous administrations.
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