A statement attributed to former President Goodluck Jonathan praising the financial management of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has resurfaced online amid the renewed controversy over the state’s debt records.
The viral graphic attributes the statement to Jonathan, claiming that during Obi’s administration, Anambra was among states that did not owe significant liabilities and that the former governor managed the state’s resources without leaving financial obligations for the succeeding government.
However, the exact wording of the statement could not be independently verified from a primary source at the time of publication.
The development comes amid an ongoing disagreement between Obi and the Anambra State Government over the financial position of the state when he left office in March 2014.
Obi has repeatedly maintained that his administration did not leave behind unpaid salaries, pensions, gratuities or liabilities owed to contractors whose projects had been completed and certified.
In a recently released handover document dated March 17, 2014, Obi’s administration listed more than ₦91.6 billion in funds and investments, including local investments, foreign-currency investments, certified balances and a Federal Government refund.
The document also listed estimated liabilities of about ₦5 billion for March salaries, pensions, gratuities and certificates for already executed projects, leaving a reported net balance of about ₦86.67 billion.
The Anambra State Government, however, has maintained that loans obtained during previous administrations, including Obi’s tenure, remained outstanding and were still being serviced.
According to figures released by the state government, eight external loans associated with projects undertaken during Obi’s administration had an outstanding balance of about $92.35 million as of June 2026. The state said the loans were linked to projects covering areas such as healthcare, education, malaria control and erosion management.
Obi has rejected the government’s interpretation of the figures, arguing that borrowing for specific development projects should not be equated with unpaid obligations owed by a government.
He has also challenged those questioning his record to provide evidence that he left Anambra with unpaid liabilities, saying he would end his 2027 presidential campaign if such evidence were established.
The renewed attention to the alleged Jonathan statement follows the broader political debate surrounding Obi’s record as governor and his bid for the presidency in 2027.
While supporters of the former governor have continued to cite his financial management record as evidence of prudent governance, critics have pointed to official debt records and other liabilities as evidence that the picture is more complicated.
A 2025 fact-check by The Guardian also noted that official Debt Management Office records showed that Anambra had both external and domestic debt around the period Obi left office, although this does not by itself establish whether the debts were unpaid salaries, contractor obligations or other liabilities.
The resurfaced quote is therefore likely to remain part of the ongoing public debate, but its exact provenance and context would need to be established before it can be treated as a confirmed statement by the former president.
