…Obi Rejects Indebtedness Allegation as Historical Liability Breakdown Fuels Debate
The long-running dispute over Anambra State’s finances at the end of former Governor Peter Obi’s tenure has resurfaced, with the historical N185 billion figure requiring context as competing accounts continue to shape the debate.
CDA News Nigeria reports that the N185 billion figure, often cited in discussions about liabilities inherited by the Willie Obiano administration in 2014, was presented as a combination of current and contingent liabilities, rather than simply N185 billion in cash loans.
CDA News Nigeria gathered that Obi, now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has consistently rejected allegations that he left the state indebted. He has insisted that his administration left office without unpaid salaries, pensions, gratuities, or obligations to contractors whose jobs had been processed and certified, and that his government cleared over N35 billion in historical gratuities and arrears.
The competing accounts remain part of a broader debate over Anambra’s finances and the interpretation of liabilities inherited between successive administrations. The current government, led by Governor Charles Soludo, has claimed that Obi left outstanding external loans, as well as salary, pension, and gratuity arrears, with the outstanding balance of eight external borrowings put at N127.4 billion as of June 30, 2026, at the official exchange rate.
Obi has rejected the state government’s claims, vowing to stop campaigning for the 2027 presidency if the government could produce evidence that he left debts or owed any contractor. The Presidency, through Bayo Onanuga, subsequently challenged Obi to honour his pledge and quit the race.
CDA News Nigeria reports that the dispute over the financial position of Anambra State at the end of Obi’s tenure in 2014 has periodically resurfaced since the transition to his successor, Willie Obiano, and has gained fresh intensity as the 2027 presidential contest approaches. The claims and counterclaims are attributed to the respective parties, and the substantive issues remain contested.
Source verification: Original reporting based on competing statements from the Anambra State Government and Peter Obi’s camp, as reported by Punch Newspapers and other Nigerian media. Claims are attributed to the respective parties.
Editorial Policy: CDA News Nigeria is committed to accurate and balanced reporting. Contested claims are attributed to their sources.
All rights reserved ©2026 CDA News Nigeria. Contact: info@cdanews.ng, www.cdanews.ng, +2348030980314 | 348 Ikwerre Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
