Anambra Debt: Presidency Asks Obi To Quit 2027 Race

The Presidency has challenged former Anambra State governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to honour his pledge to end his 2027 presidential campaign if it is established that he left the state with outstanding financial obligations.

The special adviser to President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, issued the challenge yesterday when he reacted to the fresh controversy over the financial liabilities allegedly linked to Obi’s tenure as governor.

The dispute was revived after Obi rejected claims by the Anambra State government that his administration left behind unpaid obligations.

Obi had insisted that his administration cleared more than N35 billion in historical gratuities and arrears and handed over the state without outstanding salaries, pensions, gratuities or debts to contractors whose projects had been duly executed and certified.

He also challenged the state government to produce evidence showing that he left anyone unpaid, pledging to stop campaigning for the 2027 presidency if such evidence was established.

“If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning,” Obi said.

But responding to the development in a post on X, Onanuga recalled Obi’s pledge and said the former governor should now act on it following the figures released by the Anambra government.

“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 wrote.

He added that the state government had presented figures which it said showed outstanding obligations involving workers of the former Water Corporation, teachers, pensions and gratuities, as well as loans contracted during the period.

“The ball is back in his court. Will he follow through on his threat by quitting the race?” the presidential aide asked.

The Anambra government, in its response to Obi, has maintained that the state is still dealing with financial obligations associated with previous administrations.

Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, said eight external loans linked to projects undertaken during or associated with the Obi administration remained outstanding.

According to figures released by the state government, the loans had a combined balance of $92.35 million, which it put at approximately N127.37 billion as of 30 June 2026.

The loans were reportedly connected to projects in areas including healthcare, education, erosion control, agriculture and community development.

The state government has also disputed Obi’s account of a more than N2 billion ecological fund which the former governor said he left untouched for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion project.

Obi had explained that the money was released shortly before the end of his tenure and was kept intact because it was tied to a specific project.

He maintained that the fund should not be regarded as a debt or liability of his administration and said it was left for his successor to execute the intended project.

The Anambra government, however, has challenged aspects of Obi’s account and said its records showed outstanding financial obligations inherited from previous administrations.

The state has also cited arrears involving gratuities and other employee-related obligations as part of the liabilities it said subsequent administrations had to address.

Obi has rejected the allegations and maintained that his administration settled the obligations that were due before handing over power.