Peter Obi claimed he left Anambra State debt-free in 2014—but official records from Nigeria’s Debt Management Office contradict him, showing billions in outstanding obligations.
Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi has claimed he left office in 2014 without owing any contractor, supplier, pensioner, or public servant. However, official records contradict this assertion.
In a June 2025 Arise TV interview, Obi said: “The day I left office, I was not owing one contractor, one supplier who had executed his job… I was not owing gratuity. I was not owing pension. I left salary enough to pay salary for three months.”
The statement was widely circulated as evidence of Obi’s fiscal prudence. But a review of records from the Debt Management Office (DMO) shows Anambra State carried debts during his tenure.
As of December 31, 2013—less than three months before Obi left office—the state’s external debt stood at $30.3 million, and domestic debt at ₦3.02 billion.
These official figures, verified by the DMO, contradict Obi’s categorical statement that he was not owing “anybody.”
While Obi may have cleared contractor fees and salary obligations, public records show ongoing formal debts. Analysts note that Obi’s claim may rely on a narrow interpretation of “debt” — distinguishing unpaid local claims from state-recognized obligations such as loans and bonds.
Verdict: MISLEADING.
Peter Obi left behind formal debts recorded by the federal DMO. His sweeping claim that no one was owed fails to reflect this reality.