Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has denied claims by the state government that his administration left behind inherited debts, including a ₦2 billion ecological loan, contractor liabilities and unpaid workers’ entitlements.
Obi described the claims as “completely false” in a statement posted on his official X account on Tuesday.
He said his administration systematically cleared historical gratuities and arrears dating back several years, amounting to more than ₦35 billion.
According to him, the state had no outstanding salary, gratuity or pension obligations when he handed over power, while contractors who had completed and obtained certification for their projects had also been paid.
Obi also addressed the ₦2 billion ecological fund cited by the Anambra State Government.
He explained that the money was released about three months before the end of his administration for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis, but that he deliberately declined to spend it because it was earmarked for a specific project.
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“The money was therefore left 100 per cent intact in First Bank, in Account No. 2018779464, with a balance of over ₦2.13 billion,” he said.
The former governor said he resisted pressure to utilise the funds because government was a continuum and the money was intended for his successor to address the erosion problem.
He further clarified that funds tied to specific projects or reserved for particular purposes were excluded from the more than ₦75 billion in savings he said his administration left behind.
Obi challenged the Anambra State Government to provide evidence to support its claims.
“If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning,” he said.
The former governor’s statement comes amid renewed political exchanges over the financial position of Anambra State under successive administrations and allegations concerning inherited liabilities.