If Anybody Can Prove I Left Debts, I’ll Stop Campaigning — Obi

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has challenged the Anambra State Government to prove its claims that his administration left behind inherited debts, including a N2 billion ecological loan, contractor liabilities and unpaid salaries, gratuities and pensions.

Obi, in a statement titled “Debunking the Phantom Debts and Ecological Loan Fallacy,” described the allegations as false, saying his administration systematically cleared historical gratuities and arrears dating back several years, amounting to more than N35 billion.

He said that at the point of handover, Anambra State owed nothing in salaries, gratuities or pensions, while there were also no outstanding payments to contractors for projects that had been duly executed and certified.

On the controversial N2 billion ecological fund, Obi explained that the money was released about three months before the end of his tenure to address the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis.

According to him, despite pressure to spend the money, he decided to leave it for his successor because government is a continuum and the funds were specifically tied to the erosion project.

Obi said the money was left 100 per cent intact in a First Bank account, which he identified as Account No. 2018779464, with a balance of more than N2.13 billion.

He further clarified that funds tied to specific projects or reserved for particular purposes were not included in the more than N75 billion in savings he said his administration left behind.

“If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning,” Obi said.