Arise News anchor, Rufai Oseni, has said the $156 million former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi allegedly left in the state’s coffers would be enough to offset the debt being attributed to his administration.
Rufai made the statement on Friday during Arise Television’s Morning Show while reacting to the ongoing dispute between Obi and the Anambra State Government over the state’s finances.
The Anambra State Government had released what it described as public debt records from Obi’s tenure as governor, prompting a response from Obi through the Interim Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko.
Tanko released Obi’s handover documents to counter claims by Governor Chukwuma Soludo that the former administration left loans and other financial liabilities behind.
The document, dated March 17, 2024, contained a summary of Anambra State’s financial position as of the close of business on that day and indicated a net positive balance of more than N86 billion.
Reacting to the controversy, Rufai said the foreign currency allegedly left by Obi alone would have been enough to clear the debt claimed by the Soludo administration.
He said, “Let’s assume Peter Obi actually collected the loan, as the Anambra State Government claims. If you remove the amount he left in the state’s account before leaving office, the foreign currency alone would be enough to clear the entire debt Governor Soludo claims he owes, unless there is another debt they are yet to show Nigerians.”
The exchange has further fuelled the dispute over the financial position Obi left behind in Anambra and the liabilities subsequently attributed to his administration.
