Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has insisted that he left office in 2014 without the state owing salaries, gratuities or pensions due for payment, or contractors and suppliers whose completed jobs had been verified and certified.
Obi made the statement during an interview on Arise TV on Thursday while responding to questions over loans and other financial liabilities allegedly linked to his eight-year administration.
The former governor said he did not approach any financial institution to borrow money or issue bonds on behalf of Anambra State during his tenure.
“I, Mr Peter Obi, did not approach any financial institution to borrow money or issue bonds on behalf of Anambra State.”
Obi further said that on the day he handed over power, the state had no outstanding salary, pension or gratuity obligations that were due for payment by the government.
“On the day I left office, the government of Anambra State, which I served, was not owing any salary, gratuity or pension to those scheduled to be paid by the state government,” he said.
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“We were not owing any contractor or supplier who had executed his job, certified and verified. Not one,” he added.
He explained that where a contractor had not completed a project, the obligation could not be regarded as an outstanding debt until the work was completed, verified and certified in line with the terms of the contract.
The comments come amid an ongoing disagreement between Obi and the Anambra State Government over loans and other financial obligations allegedly incurred during his tenure.
The state government recently released records alleging that Obi’s administration contracted eight external loans between 2007 and 2013, with an outstanding balance of about $92.35 million, which it said was equivalent to approximately ₦127.4 billion as of June 30, 2026.
The government has also disputed Obi’s claim that he left office without unpaid salaries, pensions and gratuities, alleging that some legacy arrears dating back to his tenure remained outstanding.
Obi, however, has consistently rejected the allegations, maintaining that his administration settled the obligations that were due and payable at the time of handover.
Addressing the dispute, Obi said he did not regard the matter as a personal disagreement with Governor Chukwuma Soludo, whom he described as the governor of his state and someone he respected.
He also appealed to governors across the country to allow presidential candidates and other political contestants to campaign freely ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, governors have the right to support candidates of their choice but should also create an environment where other candidates can campaign and engage voters.
Obi said Nigerians should be allowed to freely decide who they want to govern them, urging political leaders to focus on issues affecting citizens, particularly the economic hardship in the country.
He also called for a peaceful political environment ahead of the 2027 elections, saying political competition should not become a distraction from the challenges facing Nigerians.
