The Anambra State Government has released documents indicating that N363.381 million in salary arrears for workers and pensioners of two defunct agencies is scheduled for payment in 2026. The release is part of the government's ongoing dispute with former governor Peter Obi over the financial state he left behind.
The documents were shared on social media by Anambra State New Media, a platform linked to the state government. They serve as a counter to Obi's repeated claim that his eight-year tenure ended without leaving Anambra burdened with debt.
Details of the Released Documents
At the centre of the release is a memo dated May 22, 2025, signed by a former head of service. The memo references a terms-of-settlement agreement between the Anambra State Government and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).
The memo confirms that a first tranche of payments had already been made and outlines plans for a second payment. "The second payment in the sum of Three Hundred and Sixty-Three Million, Three Hundred and Eighty-One Thousand Naira only (₦363,381,000.00) will be made in 2026," the document reads.
The arrears cover former staff, pensioners, and next of kin of the defunct Anambra State Water Corporation (ANSWC) and Anambra State Environmental Protection Agency (ANSEPA). The memo cited Article 7 of the terms of settlement and proposed routing the funds through the state payroll system via a dedicated account, listing an available budget balance of N500 million.
The terms-of-settlement agreement underpinning the memo was signed on February 6, 2024, between the state government and AUPCTRE.
Context of the Dispute
The Soludo administration says the N363.381 million represents salary entitlements the Obi government left unpaid when it exited office. However, the documents on their own do not confirm when the arrears were first incurred or definitively trace their origin to Obi's tenure.
The renewed dispute follows an earlier claim by Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, that Obi left behind $123.77 million in debt tied to projects spanning malaria control, education, healthcare, erosion management, community development and value-chain development.
Obi has denied the allegations, saying his administration neither borrowed nor issued bonds as governor, and that Anambra was financially sound when he handed over.
Obi's Response and Further Claims
Legit.ng has previously reported on Obi's denial of any rift with Governor Charles Soludo and his insistence that his administration left no outstanding debts in Anambra State. Earlier, Legit.ng also reported that Peter Obi publicly addressed two controversies: an alleged falling-out with Governor Soludo and debt claims tied to his time as Anambra governor.
The Anambra State Government said eight external borrowings linked to Obi's tenure had $92.35 million outstanding as of June 30, 2026. Obi questioned how the $123.77 million figure was calculated, citing Debt Management Office records that showed far lower figures when he left office in 2014.
The release of these documents adds another layer to the ongoing public disagreement between the Anambra State Government and Peter Obi, with the state government continuing to provide evidence to support its claims of unpaid entitlements and debt.
