Soludo, Peter Obi Clash Over N127bn Anambra Debt Claims as Counter-Documents Emerge

The dispute between Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo and former governor Peter Obi over the state’s debt profile has intensified, with both sides presenting competing records about the liabilities allegedly left behind when Obi left office.

The Anambra State Government on Wednesday released what it described as public debt records linked to Obi’s administration, claiming that eight external loans remained outstanding. According to the government, the balance stood at about $92.35 million, equivalent to N127.37 billion as of June 30, 2026.

Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, said the loans were contracted between 2007 and 2013 for projects including malaria control, FADAMA development and health system development. The government said the figures were based on debt records and maintained that the current administration was still servicing the obligations.

The state government also linked other inherited financial obligations to previous administrations, including pension and gratuity arrears. It said the Soludo administration had cleared about N22 billion in inherited gratuity arrears owed to retired state and local government workers and teachers.

Obi has rejected the allegations and challenged the Soludo administration to prove that he left Anambra with outstanding debts when he handed over power. He said he would stop his 2027 presidential campaign if evidence established that he left the state with unpaid debt.

In a further response, Obi’s camp released a handover document dated March 17, 2014, the date he left office. The document, published by the Interim National Coordinator of the Obedient Movement, Yinusa Tanko, reportedly showed a net positive financial position of more than N86 billion at the close of Obi’s administration.

The two sets of records have now become central to the dispute. While the Anambra government points to outstanding external loans and other liabilities, Obi’s camp has presented the handover document as evidence of the financial position recorded at the end of his tenure.

The controversy follows earlier comments by Anambra Commissioner for Finance Izuchukwu Okafor, who said the state was still repaying loans incurred by previous administrations, including those of Obi and Willie Obiano. Obi subsequently demanded evidence to support the claim.

The disagreement comes as Obi prepares for the 2027 presidential election, making the dispute a prominent part of the political debate surrounding his record as Anambra governor. The competing claims remain disputed, with both sides relying on different financial records and interpretations of the state’s liabilities.