By Our Correspondent
A fresh political controversy has emerged over the financial record of former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, after former Labour Party chieftain and ADC leader, Kenneth Okonkwo, acknowledged that new information has changed his earlier position on claims concerning Obi’s administration.
Okonkwo, who previously defended Obi’s record in Anambra State, said he had been working with information that he now believes did not present the full picture of the state’s financial obligations.
In a recent television interview, Okonkwo said, “I was misled,” while explaining why his position on claims that Obi left Anambra without debts, salary arrears and other financial obligations has changed.
His latest comments have generated fresh debate within political circles, particularly because of his previous strong defence of Obi’s record while serving as a prominent member of the Labour Party and spokesman for Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign.
The controversy centres on claims by the Anambra State Government regarding loans and other financial obligations allegedly incurred during the Obi administration.
The state government has presented documents relating to eight financing facilities, putting their combined contracted value at about $123.77 million. According to the government, approximately $92.35 million remained outstanding as of June 30, 2026.
The figures have become a major point of contention, with supporters and critics of Obi offering different interpretations of what should properly be classified as debt inherited by subsequent administrations.
Obi, however, has disputed the government’s interpretation of the figures. He has previously referred to records from the Debt Management Office indicating that Anambra’s external debt was significantly lower when he left office.
The controversy has also extended beyond loans to allegations concerning unpaid salaries and other obligations.
The Anambra State Government has released documents relating to approximately ₦363.38 million in salary arrears, which it says were inherited from the previous administration.
Obi has consistently maintained that his administration did not leave behind unpaid salaries, pensions or outstanding obligations of the nature being alleged.
With both sides presenting different figures and interpretations, the issue has now become one of the latest flashpoints in the political debate surrounding Obi’s record as governor.
For Okonkwo, the development represents a significant change from his earlier public statements.
During the 2023 presidential campaign, he was among the prominent voices defending Obi’s performance in Anambra and rejecting claims that the former governor left the state burdened with debts and unpaid obligations.
His latest comments therefore carry particular political significance because they come from someone who previously spoke strongly in Obi’s defence.
Okonkwo explained that the information now available to him has caused him to reconsider some of the claims he made previously.
He likened the difference between his former and current positions to the difference between an “examination in chief” and a “cross-examination,” highlighting the changing circumstances and information surrounding the controversy.
The disagreement has once again placed Obi’s eight-year tenure as Anambra governor under intense public scrutiny.
While his supporters continue to point to projects and financial management as evidence of his performance in office, critics are increasingly focusing on the state’s liabilities and financial commitments during and after his tenure.
The latest controversy is therefore likely to keep the debate over Obi’s Anambra record alive as Nigeria’s political parties and politicians position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
For now, the central question remains how the various loan agreements, outstanding balances and alleged arrears should be interpreted, and which obligations were actually outstanding when Obi handed over power.
The competing claims are expected to receive further attention as more financial documents and official records emerge.
Okonkwo’s admission has nevertheless added a new dimension to the controversy, particularly because of his previous role as one of Obi’s most vocal political defenders.
His statement that “I was misled” is now being widely discussed as the debate over Peter Obi’s record in Anambra enters a fresh phase.
