The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has called on Peter Obi, the NDC's 2027 presidential candidate, to withdraw from the race, citing Anambra State Government disclosures that contradict his long-standing claims of fiscal discipline. APC spokesman Dele Alake said figures released by the state government showed that Obi spent approximately $4.05 billion, equivalent to N5.4 trillion, across his eight years in office and contracted $123.77 million in external loans.
Anambra State Government Disclosures
In a statement issued on September 21, 2026, via Bayo Onanuga's X handle @aonanuga1956, Alake detailed that the Anambra State Government revealed Obi left behind eight active external borrowings when he departed office on March 17, 2014. These loans covered areas including malaria control, erosion management, education, and healthcare. Subsequent administrations, including that of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, continued to service those debts.
The state government's figures directly challenge Obi's repeated assertions that he left Anambra debt-free after his tenure. Alake emphasized that the disclosures were made public to counter Obi's narrative as he campaigns for the presidency in 2027.
Unpaid Salaries and 2006 Memo
Beyond the debt figures, Alake pointed to an internal memo dated April 25, 2006, written by Chuks Ileogbunam, Obi's Chief of Staff at the time, as evidence that workers in certain state agencies went without pay from the earliest weeks of Obi's administration. The memo, addressed directly to Obi, appealed for the release of N15 million to cover the monthly salaries of Water Corporation staff, warning that workers were on the verge of staging protests at the governor's office.
"Since it is your excellency's unchanging desire to achieve a better future for our children and children's children, please, Sir, bear in mind that officials of the Water Corporation also have children who are looking to your compassionate leadership," Ileogbunam wrote in the memo. Alake said the document was particularly significant given that Obi had, during his own gubernatorial campaign, pledged to resign if workers were ever paid late under his watch.
APC Calls on Obi to Quit 2027 Presidential Race
Alake drew a direct parallel between that earlier promise and Obi's more recent pledge to withdraw from the 2027 presidential contest if it could be shown that his administration left Anambra with financial liabilities. With the state government's figures now on record, Alake said Obi was bound by his own word to step down.
Alake also raised concern about Obi's recent visit to a person he described as facing an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission trial for alleged corruption, arguing the solidarity visit was at odds with Obi's carefully cultivated image as a clean politician.
Anambra Debt Controversy: Peter Obi's SSG Releases Document
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that former Anambra SSG Oseloka Obaze said he was present when Peter Obi handed over a letter detailing N86.6bn in state funds to incoming governor Willie Obiano in 2014. Obaze posted a copy of the handover letter on X, pointing to figures that covered local investments, foreign currency holdings, and federal government refunds.
The disclosure follows a fresh row between Obi and the Anambra state government over loans allegedly incurred during his time as governor. The APC's call for Obi's resignation adds to the mounting pressure as the 2027 election approaches, with the party framing the debt and unpaid wage claims as a breach of his public commitments.
