Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has challenged the Anambra State Government to provide evidence that his administration left behind unpaid debts, salaries, pensions or liabilities to contractors when he handed over power.
Obi made the challenge in a statement posted on his official social media account while responding to claims by the Anambra State Government that his administration left inherited financial obligations, including a N2 billion ecological fund.
The former Anambra governor dismissed the claims as false, saying his administration cleared historical gratuities and arrears amounting to more than N35 billion.
He maintained that there were no outstanding salaries, gratuities or pensions when he left office, adding that contractors whose projects had been duly executed and certified had also been paid.
“We systematically liquidated historical gratuities and arrears dating back several years, amounting to over N35 billion. At the point of handover, the state owed nothing in salaries, gratuities, or pensions, nor did we owe anything to any contractor for projects duly executed and certified,” Obi said.
Obi also addressed the controversy surrounding the N2 billion ecological fund, explaining that the money was released about three months before the end of his tenure for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis.
He said he deliberately refused to spend the money because it had been earmarked for a specific project, adding that he left it for the incoming administration.
“The N2 billion ecological fund in question was released barely three months before the end of my tenure for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis. Despite pressure to spend the money, I refused, insisting that it should be left for my successor because government is a continuum and the funds were tied to a specific project,” he said.
According to Obi, the money remained intact in a First Bank account and had a balance of more than N2.13 billion at the time.
He further said the ecological fund was separate from the more than N75 billion in savings he claimed his administration left behind.
Obi challenged the Anambra State Government to establish evidence contradicting his account, saying he would end his campaign if such evidence was produced.
“If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning,” Obi said.
