The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has challenged Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the New Democratic Congress (NDC), over his financial record as governor of Anambra State. The council demanded that Obi honour his reported pledge to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if it is established that he left the state with outstanding liabilities. This challenge follows fresh disclosures by the Anambra State Government on the financial obligations associated with Obi's eight-year tenure as governor.
According to the Anambra State Government, Obi's administration contracted $123.77 million in external loans across eight facilities, with $92.35 million, valued at about N127.37 billion, remaining outstanding as of June 30, 2026. The loans covered projects in areas including malaria control, education, healthcare, erosion management, and community development. The APC campaign council's spokesman, Dele Alake, said these figures raised questions about Obi's repeated presentation of his administration as one defined by fiscal prudence and the absence of debt.
The APC campaign council also cited figures from the Anambra government showing that about $4.05 billion was spent during Obi's eight years in office. The council said Obi's financial record should be subjected to public scrutiny, particularly as he seeks the presidency in 2027. Alake argued that borrowing is not inherently wrong if used for development, but the issue is whether Obi's claims about the financial position he left behind are consistent with the records now being presented by the state government.
The Anambra government has acknowledged that borrowing is not inherently wrong when used to finance productive projects, but said eight external borrowing facilities associated with projects undertaken during Obi's tenure remained obligations after he left office. Alake further alleged that Obi's administration left unpaid obligations to some workers, citing a 2006 memo by Obi's then Chief of Staff, Chuks Ileogbunam, concerning salary arrears owed to employees of the Anambra Water Corporation.
According to the APC campaign council, the memo appealed to Obi to release N15 million monthly to settle the workers' salaries and avert a protest at the Government House. Alake argued that the document raised questions about Obi's claim that he ensured workers were paid as and when due. He also linked the issue to what he described as a pledge made by Obi during his campaign for the Anambra governorship that he would resign if there was any case of workers not being paid when due.
The APC campaign council therefore challenged Obi to honour what it described as a similar pledge concerning the state's debt position. If it is proven that he left a debt burden for Anambra State, the council said Obi should withdraw from the 2027 presidential contest. Alake also questioned Obi's record on public services, alleging that despite the expenditure and borrowing attributed to his administration, the former governor left unresolved challenges in sectors including water supply and public infrastructure.
The APC campaign council's statement comes as the controversy over Obi's eight-year stewardship of Anambra increasingly becomes part of the political debate ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The council concluded by urging Obi to reconsider his presidential bid if the debt claims are established, arguing that his own previously stated standard should apply to his current presidential ambition.
Key points
- APC questions Peter Obi's financial record as Anambra governor
- Obi's administration left outstanding debt and unpaid obligations
- APC demands Obi honour pledge to withdraw from 2027 presidential race if debt claims are established
