Obi: I did not borrow one kobo as governor

Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra state, says the state did not owe any local or foreign debt under his tenure from 2006 to 2014.

He dismissed reports that he left a debt profile of N17.6 billion behind.

In a statement by Valentine Obienyem, his media aide, the former governor said his claims can be verified with the Debt Management Office (DMO).

Obienyem said: “While we recognise that states are owing under different governments, I make bold to say that under Mr. Peter Obi Anambra State did not borrow any money nor raise bonds. The state only guaranteed the sum of 1 billion Naira borrowed by farmers in the state from Fidelity Bank.

“The development loan offer from the World Bank for education and  erosion control, which has a 40-year moratorium, was not drawn down by Peter Obi ‘s government. Not even one kobo was taken when Obi was the Governor.”

Obienyem said while other states raised bonds and borrowed money and still owed salaries and consequently left big debts, “Obi fulfilled all his financial obligations without owing salaries or contractors and without raising bonds”.

“Despite this he still left 75billion Naira (cash and investment) for the state,” Obienyem said, adding that it was on record that Obi “even liquidated arrears of pension and gratuities amounting to over 37 Billion Naira owed in the State since 1991.

“Even in his handover note, Obi excluded about 5billion Naira already made available to pay the March 2014 salaries, pension and gratuity as well as for certificates for already executed projects as part of the money he was leaving behind.”

Obienyem said the $156 million saved by Obi and interests accruing are now worth over N35 billion, “excluding the naira component of the money he left”.