2027: Obi debunks rift with Soludo, urges governors to allow free campaigns

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has dismissed suggestions of a rift between him and Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, saying he held no personal grievances against the governor or any of his counterparts across Nigeria.

Obi also called on governors across the country to allow all presidential candidates to campaign freely in their states, urging political leaders to focus on Nigeria’s pressing challenges instead of political distractions.

The NDC flagbearer said the country’s political discourse should centre on the rising cost of living, insecurity and economic hardship facing Nigerians rather than controversies over past administrations.

He said: “I respectfully urge everyone to concentrate on the existential challenges confronting Nigeria and the hardships endured by its citizens, rather than on the needless distractions that have become widespread in our politics.

“I wish to assure the public that I have no disagreement with my dear elder brother, Governor Soludo, or with any governor in Nigeria. I am not seeking the office of governor in any state, and I will not seek that position again, even if the Constitution is amended.

“Accordingly, I appeal to governors to support whichever presidential candidate they choose while also permitting and assisting other presidential candidates and contenders for other offices to campaign freely and without interruption in their states. Ultimately, voters should be allowed to determine whom they wish to serve them.”

Obi also reaffirmed his record in office, stressing that Anambra State owed no unpaid salaries, pensions, gratuities or certified contractor debts when he left office in 2014.

Obi noted that he had left the state in what he described as its strongest financial position and said he would not be drawn into prolonged exchanges over his tenure.

Obi stated: “Regarding the multilateral funding inaccurately described as ‘debt owed by Peter Obi’ in Anambra State, I wish to state unequivocally:

“As Governor of Anambra State, I did not approach any financial institution to borrow funds or issue a bond on behalf of the state. Indeed, at his farewell ceremony, the then Director-General of the DMO, Abraham Nwankwo, appointed me chairman and declared that, during his 10 years in office, I was the only state governor who had not approached him for a loan facility.

‘I left more than $150m’: Obi defends Anambra financial record, debunks debt claims

“Regarding development financing from the World Bank, these are concessionary development-support funds secured by the Federal Government for states selected by it to address specific needs. Repayment is spread over 25 to 30 years.

“The Anambra State Government must therefore differentiate among three separate figures: the total amount approved for the multiyear development program; the amount Anambra State actually drew during my tenure; and the funding balance outstanding when I handed over on 17 March 2014.

“The government has combined these distinct categories, added them together, and described the resulting US$123.77 million as ‘loans left by Peter Obi.’ That is an incorrect application of public-sector accounting.

“The eight facilities identified were primarily World Bank and IFAD development programs negotiated by the Federal Government, with participating states receiving access to the funds through subsidiary arrangements. They were not conventional commercial loans that I personally secured during my tenure.

“This does not suggest that Anambra had no repayment responsibilities; rather, each facility must be examined in light of its approval, effectiveness, drawdown, and repayment record.

“The clearest contradiction appears in the government’s own figures. It states that the original facilities amounted to approximately US$123.77 million and that US$92.35 million remained outstanding in June 2026.

“However, the DMO’s published records showed Anambra’s total external debt at approximately US$18 million when I began my tenure in March 2006, about US$30 million in March 2014, when I left office, and approximately US$45.15 million as of 31 December 2014, nine months after my departure.”