Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State is facing intense public scrutiny and growing backlash over his administration’s persistent claims that it is still repaying debts incurred by former Governor Peter Obi, who is now the 2027 presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
The controversy ignited after the Anambra State Commissioner for Finance, Izuchukwu Okafor, claimed during a recent podcast that the current administration is still servicing loans and financial obligations left behind by Obi, who governed the state from 2006 to 2014, as well as other predecessors.
Obi swiftly and categorically denied the allegations. Speaking during an interview in Washington, D.C., he maintained that he left office without owing any salaries, pensions, gratuities, or contractor payments. “The day I left office, I paid what was due to be paid. I wasn’t owing any contractors,” he stated.
Going a step further, Obi asserted that he actually saved over N75 billion in the state’s First Bank account. In a daring political maneuver, he publicly provided the specific bank account details and challenged the Soludo administration to prove him wrong, boldly stating that he would abandon his presidential ambition if the allegations were substantiated with evidence.
The gauntlet thrown by Obi has resonated deeply with Nigerians, many of whom are now demanding that Governor Soludo accept the challenge and produce the financial records. Critics argue that the relentless attacks are not only unproductive but also counterproductive, as they continually provide Obi with a platform to defend his record with verifiable facts.
Afam Achebe, a Nigerian commentator based in Canada, expressed dismay at the governor’s political trajectory, noting, “Your repeated attacks on Peter Obi are becoming difficult to understand. He did not hand over to you, and he is not contesting the Anambra governorship with you. Yet, each time you come at him, you give him another opportunity to defend his record with clean facts.”
Echoing this sentiment, another citizen, identifying online as Kaa, directly appealed to the governor to put up or shut up. “Mr Governor, seeing how eagerly you have worked to tarnish Peter Obi’s name and turn Nigerians against him, this is your opportunity to kick him off the ballot,” the user wrote. “He has provided the bank, the account details, and the amount he says was left there. Simply obtain the relevant account statement and present it to Nigerians. If the money was not there as he claims, that should be the end of Peter Obi’s political career by his own challenge.”
As the 2027 election cycle gains momentum, this clash underscores a growing public fatigue with unsubstantiated political mudslinging. For the electorate, the message is clear: in the court of public opinion, bold allegations must be backed by bold evidence. Until the ledgers are opened and the facts are laid bare, the burden of proof rests squarely on those making the claims, and the public will accept nothing less than the truth.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
