The Anambra State Government has directly contradicted former Governor Peter Obi's claim that he left more than ₦2.13bn in an ecological fund account before his tenure ended in 2014, saying bank records do not support the assertion.
Bank Records Challenge Obi's Claim
The Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Law Mefor, said the government had obtained a certified printout of First Bank account number 2018779464, the account Obi pointed to as the repository of the ecological funds.
He stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, via @AnambraNewMedia, titled "Gov Peter Obi and Record of Public Debt in Anambra: Facts Beyond Propaganda and Lies."
"The account is an Internally Generated Revenue Consolidated Revenue Account, not an ecological fund account," Mefor said. "From 2011 when the account was opened until date, there has never been any such amount, whether as inflow or balance, in the account."
He then asked Obi to clarify where the money he claimed to have left intact for his successor was actually kept.
What Triggered the Exchange
Legit.ng reports that Obi rejected Anambra's earlier allegation that his administration handed over a range of financial liabilities, including a ₦2bn ecological loan, contractor debts, and unpaid salaries, gratuities and pensions.
On the ecological fund specifically, Obi said the money had been released shortly before his tenure ended for an erosion project in Oko and Umuchiana, and that he refused to spend it despite pressure to do so, insisting it be preserved for his successor.
He described the funds as "100 per cent intact" in First Bank, with a balance exceeding ₦2.13bn. Obi went further, saying, "If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning."
Wider Debt Claims Also Disputed
Beyond the ecological fund, Mefor addressed a broader set of financial concerns. He said eight external loans taken out under Obi's administration remained outstanding, and that as of June 30, 2026, the total balance of those loans stood at ₦127.4 billion at the official exchange rate. The loans covered projects ranging from malaria control and health system development to erosion management and education investment.
On salaries and pensions, Mefor said the Soludo administration had cleared about ₦22bn in inherited gratuity arrears, though he noted that legacy arrears from Obi's time and earlier administrations remained unpaid. He added that Obi's government had certified 16 months of salary arrears for primary school teachers but paid only five months before leaving office.
Mefor also pushed back on Obi's claim that his administration left more than ₦75bn in savings. "We will not engage in nebulous creative accounting," he said. "If there were ₦75 billion in savings, as claimed, where are the records?"
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the NDC presidential candidate revealed a First Bank account number linked to the claim. Obi disclosed in response to Anambra State Government claims that his administration left behind inherited debts and unpaid liabilities. The former governor said his administration cleared more than N35bn in historical gratuities.
