The presidency has challenged Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to follow through on his threat to quit the 2027 race over the controversy surrounding alleged debt during his tenure as Governor of Anambra State.
Naija News reports that this follows the Anambra State Government’s dispute of Peter Obi’s claim that he left office without outstanding debts or unpaid financial obligations, saying state records show liabilities incurred during his administration or inherited by it remained outstanding.
The latest exchange followed Obi’s rejection of claims by the state government that his administration left debts, including an ecological fund-related liability, as well as salary, pension and gratuity arrears...To Read The Full Content; Tap Here Now .
Obi has maintained that he cleared more than ₦35 billion in historical arrears and left office without owing salaries, pensions, gratuities or contractors for duly completed and certified projects. He also challenged anyone with contrary evidence to produce it.
Reacting in a statement titled “Gov Peter Obi and Record of Public Debt in Anambra: Facts Beyond Propaganda and Lies,” the Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, described Obi’s position on the state’s debt profile as false.
Mefor said eight external loans linked to projects implemented during or inherited by the Obi administration remained outstanding, with a combined balance of $92.35 million, which the government put at ₦127.37 billion as of June 30, 2026.
The loans, according to the statement, were obtained for projects covering malaria control, erosion management, healthcare, education, community development and agricultural value-chain development.
Reacting in a post via , the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, said, “Peter Obi claimed he left Anambra with a clean slate of debt and even threatened to quit the presidential race if his claims were proven otherwise. Now, the Anambra government has confronted him with facts and figures showing he owed Water Corporation workers, teachers, and pension and gratuities, and had also borrowed for frivolous things. The ball is back in his court. Will he follow through on his threat by quitting the race?”