The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has called on former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi to honour an earlier pledge to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if it is established that his administration left financial liabilities in the state.
The call followed fresh disclosures by the Anambra State Government concerning external loans reportedly contracted during Obi’s eight-year tenure as governor.
In a statement issued on Monday by the APC campaign council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, the council said records released by the state government showed that Obi’s administration contracted about $123.77 million in external loans.
The council said eight external borrowing facilities remained associated with the state when Obi left office on March 17, 2014, with subsequent administrations continuing to service the obligations. The loans were linked to projects covering areas including healthcare, education, erosion management and agricultural development.
The APC campaign council argued that its concern was not the use of borrowing for development but whether the reported liabilities were consistent with Obi’s previous claims that he left Anambra without a debt burden.
The controversy followed a challenge by Obi for evidence to support claims that his administration left behind outstanding financial obligations.
Obi has rejected the allegations, maintaining that his administration cleared more than ₦35 billion in inherited gratuities and arrears and handed over the state without outstanding salaries, pensions or gratuities.
He has also maintained that the state did not owe contractors for properly executed and certified projects when he left office.
The APC campaign council, however, said the latest disclosures required Obi to explain the nature of the loans and other liabilities associated with his tenure.
The council also cited an alleged 2006 memo from Obi’s then Chief of Staff, Chuks Ileogbunam, concerning salary payments to workers of the Anambra State Water Corporation. According to the APC, the memo appealed to the governor to release funds for the payment of workers’ salaries.
The council linked the issue to an alleged pledge by Obi during his governorship campaign that he would resign if workers in the state were not paid as and when due.
The political dispute has also involved claims over an alleged ₦2.13 billion fund connected to erosion control. Obi has maintained that the money remained untouched in an account, while the Anambra State Government has disputed the nature and status of the account he referenced.
The APC campaign council has consequently urged Obi to honour what it described as his earlier commitment and withdraw from the 2027 presidential contest.
Obi, however, has continued to reject the allegations and maintains that his administration left Anambra State in a sound financial position.
The disagreement has added another issue to the political debate ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the two sides offering conflicting interpretations of Anambra State’s financial records during and after Obi’s tenure.
The controversy is expected to continue as both sides present their respective positions on the state’s borrowing history, inherited liabilities and financial records.
