The Presidency has challenged former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to honor his pledge to quit the 2027 presidential race if claims about his administration’s financial record are proven.
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, issued the challenge on Wednesday following a fresh response from the Anambra State Government to Obi’s denial of outstanding debts.
Onanuga said Obi had claimed he left Anambra without debt and had pledged to stop campaigning if anyone proved otherwise.
The Anambra government, however, said eight external loans linked to projects during or inherited by Obi’s administration had an outstanding balance of $92.35 million, equivalent to about ₦127.37 billion, as of June 30, 2026. It also alleged outstanding salary, pension, and gratuity arrears.
The state government further disputed Obi’s claim that he left more than ₦2.13 billion in an ecological fund account for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion project. Commissioner for Information Law Mefor said the First Bank account cited by Obi was an Internally Generated Revenue account and had never contained the amount claimed.
Obi has rejected the allegations, maintaining that his administration cleared more than ₦35 billion in historical arrears and left office without outstanding salaries, pensions, gratuities, or certified contractor debts.
He also maintained that the ₦2.13 billion was preserved for the erosion project and challenged anyone to prove his account wrong.
“If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning,” Obi said.
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