The Anambra State Government has released details of eight external loans it claims former Governor Peter Obi left unpaid when he exited office on March 17, 2014. According to the state's official X account, @AnambraNewMedia, a Debt Management Office report dated June 30, 2026, puts the outstanding balance on those loans at ₦127.4 billion. The post, made on Thursday, September 17, 2026, was managed by the New Media Office of Governor Charles Soludo.
Loans for Malaria Control, Erosion, Education, and Healthcare
The Soludo-led government stated that the loans were taken for purposes including malaria control, erosion management, education, and healthcare. The current administration says it continues to service these debts with hundreds of millions of naira every month. The revelation directly challenges Obi's long-held public image of leaving Anambra financially sound and debt-free.
Obi governed Anambra from 2006 to 2014 before contesting the 2023 presidential election and later becoming the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Development Company (NDC) for the 2027 general elections. His reputation has been built on claims of prudent financial management, including leaving the state with ₦75 billion in savings and no debt.
Social Media Reactions and Fact-Checking Claims
The post drew swift pushback from Nigerians on social media, with many questioning the facts and timing of the claims. @NwambaJohn wrote: "You are topping chat not because you have delivered Taiwan to Ndi Anambra, or maybe because you have improved their lives a notch higher in 2026 standards. No. You are milking a daft narrative. External borrowings and programs are different, and that's all you need to know."
@matolysis claimed to have conducted his own checks: "I just did some fact-checking. Obi didn't present the truth. Truth means presenting things the way they are, no manipulations. Until today, his ultimate selling point was 'I saved money, and I left Anambra debt-free.' Obiano said otherwise. Now Soludo is grabbing you by your balls."
@Sonofgraceop was more direct: "You are busy making noise and disturbing us on Twitter, instead of prosecuting him if your claims of him mismanaging Anambra state funds are true. Noise makers!!"
Critics Say Posts Promote Obi, Demand Firm Evidence
@alex2j2 argued the posts were counterproductive: "These guys don't know that they are indirectly promoting Mr Peter Obi. Firstly, they didn't find any diversion of funds, awarded contracts to themselves or cronies (trust me, they searched). Now, they are no longer talking about the Ecological funds again, but are trying to drag a man over Federal Government-facilitated loans."
@CajethanJn84318 offered context on how such loans typically work: "These were long-term World Bank-style project loans with multi-year disbursements and decades-long repayment schedules, so full payoff during one term was not typical. DMO data shows Anambra had about $30.3m external and N3bn domestic debt as of Dec 2013."
@prospattern challenged the government to produce firmer proof: "Obi debunked your lies and put out an account number for verification. What evidence do you have to support these further lies?"
Bank Records and Previous Disputes
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Anambra government obtained a certified bank printout to challenge Obi's claim that he left ₦2.13 billion in an ecological fund before leaving office. The state's Commissioner for Law, Mefor, said the First Bank account Obi identified was a revenue account and never held the amount Obi described. The government also disputed Obi's claims about inherited debts, salary arrears, and the ₦75 billion in savings his administration said it left behind.
