The Anambra State Government has released details of what it described as the public debt records inherited from the administration of former governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi.
The government also alleged that Obi left behind outstanding domestic and external loans, as well as unpaid pensions, gratuities and other obligations when he left office in March 2014.
The claims were contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr Law Mefor, titled “Gov Peter Obi and Record of Public Debt in Anambra: Facts Beyond Propaganda and Lies.”
According to the statement, Obi’s administration spent about $4.05 billion over its eight-year tenure, while also contracting $123.77 million in external debt.
The state government said the expenditure figure was obtained by converting audited and published expenditures using the average official exchange rates applicable during Obi’s eight years in office.
It added that, at the current official exchange rate, the figure would amount to approximately N5.4 trillion.
The government acknowledged that borrowing was not necessarily unusual for governments, noting that most governments operate with some level of debt.
It, however, maintained that Obi’s administration left eight external loan obligations for subsequent administrations.
“As of the date HE Peter Obi left office (17th March 2014), there were and still are eight different external borrowings his administration left for his successors,” the statement said.
The government further stated that, according to the latest report of the Debt Management Office (DMO), the outstanding balance of the loans stood at N127.4 billion as of June 30, 2026, based on the official exchange rate.
The statement said the loans were contracted at different times during Obi’s administration and that the current government had continued to make debt-service payments on the obligations.
Government Lists Infrastructure and Social-Service Deficits
Beyond the debt figures, the Anambra government accused the former governor of leaving significant infrastructure and social-service gaps at the end of his tenure.
It alleged that there were no functioning urban or rural water schemes in the state when Obi left office, while insecurity and poverty had increased.
The government also claimed that public schools and hospitals faced serious challenges, including inadequate teachers and medical personnel.
According to the statement, 78 of Anambra’s 179 communities—representing about 44 percent—did not have public primary schools at the time, adding that the current administration was working to address the deficit.
It further alleged that Obi left behind poor infrastructure and large urban slums.
Pension and Gratuity Arrears
The state government also disputed claims that Obi had completely cleared inherited arrears of salaries, pensions and gratuities.
It alleged that verified obligations remained unpaid to retired teachers and former staff of the Water Corporation after Obi left office.
The government described claims that all inherited arrears had been cleared as “patently false,” while stating that it would not enter into the separate dispute between Obi and his predecessors over which administration paid particular arrears.
The allegations come amid renewed political debate over the financial record and governance legacy of Peter Obi’s eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra State.
The figures and assertions contained in the statement are those of the Anambra State Government and remain subject to verification against the underlying DMO records, audited financial statements and other official documents.
