The Anambra State government has told presidential candidate Peter Obi that governance is about prioritizing citizens' welfare, not saving in banks for interests. This response comes after Obi's claims that he left over $150 million in Anambra's treasury and investments. The state government has repeatedly stated that Obi left a $123.77 million debt, which he has denied. The government also accused Obi of concealing his administration's debts in handover notes prepared in 2014.
According to the Anambra State government, loans obtained during Obi's administration were for projects such as malaria control, education, healthcare, erosion management, community development, and value chain development. However, Obi has challenged the government to prove that his administration left behind unpaid debts, salaries, pensions, or contractor liabilities. In response, the government released documents alleging that Obi's administration left N363 million in salary arrears owed to workers, among other outstanding debts.
The Anambra State government, through Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation Law Mefor, accused Obi of prioritizing savings over the people's welfare and concealing debts while handing over in 2014. The government stated that governance and development differ from trading, where profit and loss accounts are prioritized over human life. The government questioned how much money Obi would attribute to the lives of millions of people pulled out of poverty.
The Anambra State government highlighted widespread development gaps during Obi's administration. The government emphasized that if savings and interest income were indicators of governance performance, it would have been one of the Millennium Development Goals or Sustainable Development Goals. Governments would then compete to save the most rather than improve security and welfare.
Anambra State's First Lady, Nonye Soludo, clarified that Peter Obi was not a godfather to any of Governor Soludo's children. This clarification was necessary due to a video circulating where Obi claimed he and his wife were godparents to Soludo's children. The actual relationship is that Nonye Soludo is the confirmation godmother to Obi's daughter, while Margaret Obi is the baptismal godmother.
Peter Obi had stated that as of the time he left office, the dollar components of his savings invested in various bonds were over $150 million, providing Anambra state with a guaranteed income of about $10 million yearly. Obi argued that if he had left a $123.77 million debt, the yields from the $150 million would have paid off the debt, leaving the principal intact.
The clash between the Anambra State government and Peter Obi continues, with both parties providing different accounts of the state's finances during his administration. The government maintains that Obi's administration left significant debts, while Obi insists that he left a substantial amount in the treasury and investments. The state's focus on people's welfare and development gaps during Obi's administration remains a point of contention.
Key points
- The Anambra State government and Peter Obi have differing accounts of the state's finances during his administration.
- Obi claims to have left over $150 million in Anambra's treasury and investments.
- The government accuses Obi of prioritizing savings over people's welfare and concealing debts.
