The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has challenged Peter Obi over claims concerning the financial record of his eight-year administration as governor of Anambra State, urging him to honour his reported pledge to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if it is established that he left behind a debt burden.
The council’s position was contained in a statement issued on Monday by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, following recent disclosures by the Anambra State Government about loans and other financial obligations associated with Obi’s tenure. The claims remain part of an ongoing dispute, with Obi rejecting the allegation that he left the state with outstanding debts.
According to the Anambra State Government, Obi’s administration contracted $123.77 million in external loans during his eight years in office. The state said eight external borrowing facilities remained outstanding when Obi left office on March 17, 2014, with the loans linked to projects including malaria control, erosion management, education and healthcare.
The state government said the outstanding balance of those loans stood at about $92.35 million, equivalent to approximately ₦127.37 billion, as of June 30, 2026, and that successive administrations, including that of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, had continued to service them.
The APC campaign council also cited the Anambra government’s figure that about $4.05 billion was spent during Obi’s eight years in office, while arguing that the figures contradicted his reported claim that he left the state without a debt burden.
“According to the Anambra State Government, the former governor spent about USD 4.05 billion, or N5.4 trillion, over his eight years in office and contracted USD 123.77 million in external loans,” the statement noted.
The council acknowledged that borrowing itself was not necessarily improper when used for development, but questioned the former governor’s record in light of his presentation of his administration as financially prudent.
“Borrowing is not injudicious if used for development. But for a man who prides himself on being austere and has frequently claimed he left the state with a clean bill of health, the revelations confirmed what has long been held: Obi is an irredeemable liar, a mediocre governor, unfit for leadership anywhere,” Alake said.
The APC council also raised allegations concerning unpaid salaries during Obi’s tenure, citing a memo dated April 25, 2006, which it said was written by Chuks Ileogbunam, Obi’s then Chief of Staff.
According to the council, the memo appealed to Obi to release ₦15 million for the monthly salaries of workers of the Anambra State Water Corporation in order to prevent a protest at the Governor’s Office.
The council quoted the memo as saying:
“Since it is your excellency’s unchanging desire to achieve a better future for our children and children’s children, please, Sir, bear in mind that officials of the Water Corporation also have children who are looking to your compassionate leadership. The President listens with compassion to your appeals on behalf of the children of Anambra. I am 200 per cent sure that you will hearken to the cries of the children whose parents work for the Water Corporation and end their ordeal.”
The APC campaign council linked the issue to a reported pledge Obi made during his campaign for governor that he would resign if workers were not paid as and when due.
“Of course, he never meant to. He only deceived people into voting for him. When he left office in 2014, he left his successors with heavier arrears to clear,” the statement said.
The council argued that the issue was relevant to Obi’s current presidential campaign because of his reported position that he would withdraw from the 2027 race if it were established that he left Anambra with outstanding liabilities.
“We advise Obi to purge himself of his lies and seek the forgiveness of the Anambra people instead of galloping around platforms, parroting inanities,” the statement said.
The APC council subsequently called on Obi to withdraw from the 2027 presidential contest if the allegations about liabilities from his administration are established.
“Indeed, if Peter Obi has any honour, he must resign from the 2027 presidential race forthwith, in keeping with his promise to end his run if it is proven that his administration left behind liabilities in Anambra,” the statement said.
The controversy comes amid an ongoing public dispute between Obi and the Anambra State Government over the state’s financial position when he left office in 2014. Obi has rejected the state government’s claims, saying he left office without outstanding debts, unpaid salaries, pensions, gratuities or payments owed to contractors for completed and certified projects.
