The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council on Monday, September 21, asked Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra state, to quit the 2027 presidential race over debt incurred by his administration.
Dele Alake, spokesperson of the council, made the call in a statement while reacting to recent disclosures by the Anambra state government on loans contracted during Obi’s tenure.
The state government had said Obi’s administration contracted $123.77 million in external loans during his eight years in office.
It said eight external borrowing facilities remained outstanding when Obi left office on March 17, 2014.
According to the state government, the loans were obtained for projects including malaria control, education, healthcare, erosion management, community development and agricultural value-chain development.
The government said the outstanding balance of the loans stood at $92.35 million, equivalent to N127.37 billion, as of June 30, 2026.
It added that successive administrations, including that of Chukwuma Soludo, had continued to service the loans.
Obi, who is the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has rejected the claims, saying he left office without outstanding debts, salaries, pensions, gratuities or payments owed to contractors for completed and certified projects.
However, Alake said the disclosures contradicted claims that Obi left Anambra without a debt burden.
”Borrowing is not injudicious if used for development. But for a man who prides himself on being austere and has frequently claimed he left the state with a clean bill of health, the revelations confirmed what has long been held: Obi is an irredeemable liar, a mediocre governor, unfit for leadership anywhere,” Alake said.
“Even more confounding is that despite these borrowings, Obi has nothing to show for his stewardship across Anambra’s sectors. He failed to pay workers’ salaries in some ministries. Water Corporation staff were among those who protested over unpaid salaries.”
He also cited a 2006 memo purportedly written by Chuks Ileogbunam, then chief of staff to Obi, requesting the release of N15 million for the monthly salaries of workers of the Anambra state water corporation.
According to Alake, the memo was written after workers threatened to protest over unpaid salaries.
The APC campaign council spokesperson said Obi had also promised during his campaign for governor that he would resign if workers were not paid as and when due.
Alake said Obi should honour a similar pledge he made regarding the 2027 presidential election if it is established that his administration left financial liabilities for the state.
“Just as Obi promised to quit the presidential race if it was proven that he left a debt burden for Anambra state, the letter revealed that Obi had similarly promised Anambra people during his campaign that he would resign as governor “if there is any case where workers are not paid as and when due.” Of course, he never meant to. He only deceived people into voting for him. When he left office in 2014, he left his successors with heavier arrears to clear,” the statement read.
“We advise Obi to purge himself of his lies and seek the forgiveness of the Anambra people instead of galloping around platforms, parroting inanities. What should even be more concerning for Obi’s followers is Obi’s recent solidarity visit to someone facing an EFCC trial for unexplained wealth and monumental corruption.
“Indeed, if Peter Obi has any honour, he must resign from the 2027 presidential race forthwith, in keeping with his promise to end his run if it is proven that his administration left behind liabilities in Anambra.”
The APC campaign council’s position comes amid an ongoing row between Obi and the Anambra government over the financial record of his administration.
The former governor has challenged the state government to substantiate its claims that his administration left outstanding debt when he handed over power in 2014.
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