Obi Vs Soludo: Anambra Govt Releases Another Document Against NDC Presidential Candidate
- Anambra State Government shared documents showing N363.381 million in salary arrears owed to workers and pensioners of two defunct state agencies
- The records include a memo signed by a former head of service and a terms-of-settlement agreement between the state and a workers' union
- The release came as part of the government's response to former governor Peter Obi's repeated insistence that he left Anambra debt-free
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The Anambra State Government has published documents showing it scheduled N363.381 million in salary arrears for payment in 2026, covering workers and pensioners of two agencies that no longer exist, as part of an ongoing dispute with former governor Peter Obi over the financial state he left behind.
The records were shared on social media by Anambra State New Media, a platform linked to the state government. They form part of the government's counter to Obi's repeated claim that his eight-year tenure ended without leaving Anambra burdened with debt.
Source: UGC
What the documents show
At the centre of the release is a memo dated May 22, 2025, signed by a former head of service, which references a terms-of-settlement agreement between the Anambra State Government and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).
The memo confirms that a first tranche of payments had already been made and outlines plans for a second payment.
"The second payment in the sum of Three Hundred and Sixty-Three Million, Three Hundred and Eighty-One Thousand Naira only (₦363,381,000.00) will be made in 2026," the document reads.
The arrears cover former staff, pensioners, and next of kin of the defunct Anambra State Water Corporation (ANSWC) and Anambra State Environmental Protection Agency (ANSEPA). The memo cited Article 7 of the terms of settlement and proposed routing the funds through the state payroll system via a dedicated account, listing an available budget balance of N500 million.
The terms-of-settlement agreement underpinning the memo was signed on February 6, 2024, between the state government and AUPCTRE.
Obi pushes back on debt claims
The Soludo administration says the N363.381 million represents salary entitlements the Obi government left unpaid when it exited office. However, the documents on their own do not confirm when the arrears were first incurred or definitively trace their origin to Obi's tenure.
The renewed dispute follows an earlier claim by Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, that Obi left behind $123.77 million in debt tied to projects spanning malaria control, education, healthcare, erosion management, community development and value-chain development.
Obi has denied the allegations, saying his administration neither borrowed nor issued bonds as governor, and that Anambra was financially sound when he handed over.
Legit.ng has previously reported on Obi's denial of any rift with Governor Charles Soludo and his insistence that his administration left no outstanding debts in Anambra State.
Peter Obi clears air on ₦127bn debt controversy
Earlier, Legit.ng also reported that Peter Obi publicly addressed two controversies: an alleged falling-out with Governor Soludo and debt claims tied to his time as Anambra governor.
The Anambra State Government said eight external borrowings linked to Obi's tenure had $92.35m outstanding as of June 30, 2026. Obi questioned how the $123.77m figure was calculated, citing Debt Management Office records that showed far lower figures when he left office in 2014.
Source: Legit.ng
