The Anambra State Government has warned former governor Peter Obi that it may release additional financial records if he continues to dispute claims concerning debts and other liabilities allegedly inherited from his administration.
The Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, said the government’s position was based on official records and documents concerning the state’s finances.
Mefor also rejected suggestions that the government was politically targeting Obi, insisting that the controversy was about establishing the financial position of the state rather than engaging in political persecution.
Government releases debt records
The warning comes after the Anambra Government released documents detailing what it described as public debts and other financial obligations associated with previous administrations.
The state government has said the records show outstanding external and domestic obligations, alongside other liabilities including unpaid salaries, pensions and gratuities.
One government account cited an outstanding balance on external loans and challenged Obi’s interpretation of the state’s financial position at the end of his tenure.
The government’s position conflicts with the handover document recently released by Obi’s supporters.
Obi’s camp disputes claims
The Obidient Movement has released Obi’s 2014 handover report as part of its response to the allegations.
The document records investments, government balances and other assets and, after accounting for estimated liabilities, reports a net balance of approximately N86.67 billion.
Tanko has argued that the figures can be independently verified and said Obi would step down from the 2027 presidential race if it is established that he left the debts alleged by the Anambra Government.
Obi has also maintained that his administration did not leave unpaid salaries, pensions or gratuities.
More documents could follow
Mefor’s latest warning suggests that the dispute may expand beyond the documents already released by both sides.
The commissioner said the state government was prepared to produce additional records if Obi continued to deny the liabilities it has attributed to his administration.
The disagreement is increasingly significant because Obi has made the accuracy of the competing financial accounts a condition linked to his 2027 presidential campaign.
The issue remains unresolved, with both sides relying on different documentary interpretations of Anambra State’s finances at the end of Obi’s administration.
Independent examination of the underlying financial records, including loan agreements, repayment schedules, bank statements and audited accounts, would be necessary to conclusively reconcile the competing claims.