Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has reiterated that he did not approach financial institutions to borrow money or issue bonds on behalf of the state during his eight years in office.
Obi made the statement while responding to renewed claims concerning loans and other financial liabilities allegedly linked to his administration. He said he left office in March 2014 without owing salaries, pensions, gratuities or contractors whose work had been completed, certified and verified.
“Let me categorically say again, I, Mr. Peter Obi, didn’t approach any financial institutions to borrow money or issue bonds on behalf of Anambra State in the eight years I was in government,” Obi said.
He added that, on the day he left office, the Anambra State Government was not owing salaries, gratuities or pensions that were due for payment by the state government. He also said there were no outstanding payments to contractors or suppliers who had completed their jobs and whose claims had been properly processed, certified and verified.
Obi said some of the funding arrangements being attributed to his administration involved concessionary multilateral financing supported through the Federal Government, rather than loans he personally obtained from commercial financial institutions.
He cited the State Education Programme Investment Project, saying Anambra was among states selected for concessionary support because of its performance in education.
The former governor’s comments come amid an ongoing disagreement with the Anambra State Government over the state’s financial obligations.
The state government has maintained that several external loan facilities associated with projects during Obi’s tenure remain liabilities being serviced by the state. It has put the outstanding balance of eight external facilities at about $92.35 million, equivalent to approximately N127.4 billion as of June 30, 2026.
Obi disputes the characterisation of those facilities as debts personally incurred by his administration, arguing that some of the financing was arranged through the Federal Government and that undrawn funds should not be treated as money borrowed and spent by his administration.
The Anambra State Government has also challenged Obi’s claim that he left office without salary, pension and gratuity arrears, saying some legacy obligations remained after his tenure.
The disagreement has therefore centred on how the financial facilities should be classified, who incurred the obligations and what liabilities were outstanding when Obi handed over power in 2014.
Obi has maintained that the state’s financial records, including official documents relating to his administration, can be used to verify his account. The Anambra State Government, however, continues to maintain its position regarding the outstanding liabilities.
Post a Comment