Anambra Debts Row: We Didn’t Verify How Much Obi Drew From Sovereign Wealth Loan — Commissioner

The Anambra State Government has recanted its claim that the administration of the former governor of the state and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the forthcoming 2027 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, bequeathed the state with a $123 million Sovereign Wealth Loan.

The state Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Dr. Law Mefor, who appeared as a guest on the Arise TV Morning Show programme on Friday, said he did not actually cross-check with the appropriate federal government institution to confirm the actual amount the Obi administration drew from the $123 million Sovereign Wealth Loan obtained for the state.

Mefor made the clarification when informed by Arise TV’s Rufai Oseni that records with the Debt Management Office (DMO) showed that, out of the $123 million World Bank loan that the Obi administration signed on behalf of the state, the actual amount drawn by the administration was only $30 million.

Mefor responded that he did not check properly before stating the amount in his press statement, adding that he would approach the DMO for confirmation.

The Information Commissioner, however, said that all he knew was that the Obi administration signed for the loan to fund eight critical sectors, including education and health, but that he did not cross-check to confirm the actual amount drawn down by the administration.

“We are not saying that Obi didn’t do his best; what we are responding to is his claim that he did not leave any debts in the state,” Mefor stated.

Mefor further stated that Obi inherited about 16 months of teachers’ salaries in arrears but, after verifying the arrears, paid only five months, leaving the remaining 11 months unpaid.

Mefor dismissed the insinuation that the Soludo government deliberately came up with allegations of debts left behind by Obi to run him down in his 2027 presidential aspiration, saying that the government only decided to put the records straight because Obi recently reiterated his claim that he did not leave behind any debts when he handed over on March 17, 2014, to his successor, Chief Willie Obiano.

On the Soludo government’s alliance with the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate and incumbent President, Bola Tinubu, for the latter’s re-election, Mefor argued that it was a political philosophy introduced by Obi’s All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) administration.

He stated that when Obi was governor under the APGA platform in the state, his administration worked with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led federal government of President Olusegun Obasanjo and that of his successor, President Goodluck Jonathan. He added that Obi’s immediate successor, Chief Willie Obiano, sustained the alliance and worked with the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mefor, however, said that the APGA government in the state was yet to roll out its presidential campaign programme.