The Presidency has challenged the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race after the Anambra State Government disputed his claim that he left office without outstanding financial liabilities.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga issued the challenge on Wednesday, citing Obi’s earlier pledge to stop campaigning if anyone could establish that he left debts behind as governor of Anambra State.
“Peter Obi claimed he left Anambra with a clean slate of debt and even threatened to quit the presidential race if his claims were proven otherwise,” Onanuga said in a post.
“Now, the Anambra government has confronted him with facts and figures showing he owed Water Corporation workers, teachers, and pension and gratuities, and had also borrowed for frivolous things. The ball is back in his court. Will he follow through on his threat by quitting the race?”
The latest exchange follows a dispute that began after Anambra State Commissioner for Finance, Izuchukwu Okafor, said the state was still servicing loans contracted by previous administrations, including that of Obi.
Obi subsequently rejected the claims, insisting that his administration did not leave behind unpaid salaries, pensions, gratuities or certified contractor obligations.
He also disputed claims surrounding a N2 billion ecological loan, saying the funds were released shortly before the end of his tenure for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis and remained untouched in a First Bank account for his successor to use.
Obi said his administration had cleared more than N35 billion in historical gratuities and arrears before leaving office.
Read also:
- Nigerians Dig Up Old Video, Drag Governor Soludo Over Stance On Obi
- Obi Challenges 2027 Presidential Candidates To Make Academic Records Public
- Keyamo Condemns Blockade Of Obi’s Convoy, Urges Restraint Ahead Of 2027
He then challenged his critics to produce evidence to the contrary.
“If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning,” Obi said.
But the Anambra State Government fired back on Wednesday, releasing details of loans it said were linked to projects undertaken during Obi’s administration.
According to the state government, eight external loans associated with projects under the former governor’s tenure had a combined outstanding balance of N127.4 billion as of June 30, 2026.
The loans, according to the government, were used for projects covering areas including education, healthcare, agriculture, erosion control and social development. The state said the original loans were denominated in foreign currency and had an outstanding balance of $92.35 million as of the stated date.
The government also rejected Obi’s account of the alleged N2.13 billion ecological fund, saying the First Bank account cited by the former governor was not an ecological fund account and did not contain the amount he claimed.
It further disputed Obi’s claim that he left office without outstanding obligations to workers.
The state government cited arrears involving former employees of the defunct Water Corporation and primary school teachers.
It said Obi’s administration had verified 16 months of salary arrears owed to primary school teachers but paid five months before leaving office.
The government also said the current administration had cleared about N22 billion in inherited gratuity arrears and had begun settling obligations involving former Water Corporation workers.
The competing accounts have turned the former governor’s financial record in Anambra into a fresh political controversy ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
While Obi maintains that he left the state without outstanding obligations of the type alleged by the government, the Soludo administration says records of inherited loans and arrears contradict that position.
Onanuga has now asked Obi to honour his pledge following the state government’s latest claims.
