Rufai Oseni Says Peter Obi’s $156m Could Clear Anambra Debt

Rufai Oseni says the $156 million reportedly left by Peter Obi in Anambra State’s accounts could cover the debts the state government says the former governor left behind.

The Arise News anchor made the claim on Friday during The Morning Show, as a dispute over Anambra State’s finances under Obi’s administration continued.

The Anambra State Government recently released documents detailing what it described as public debts from Obi’s time as governor.

Obi, however, rejected the claims through the Interim Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko.

Tanko released handover documents to counter Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s claims about loans and other financial liabilities inherited by his administration.

The document, dated 17 March 2024, presented Anambra State’s financial position at the close of business on that day.

According to the document, the state recorded a net positive balance of more than ₦86 billion.

However, the dispute has centred on whether Obi left enough funds to offset the liabilities now being attributed to his administration.

Speaking on Arise News, Rufai Oseni said the foreign currency holdings alone would have been enough to settle the debt cited by the Soludo administration.

“Let’s assume Peter Obi actually collected the loan, as the Anambra State Government claims,” Oseni said.

He then argued that removing the funds Obi allegedly left in the state’s accounts would still leave enough foreign currency to cover the debt.

Oseni added that the calculation would only change if the government had identified other debts that had not been presented to the public.

The exchange comes as political and financial debates over Obi’s record in Anambra continue.

For now, the two sides rely on different interpretations of the state’s financial records. The released documents and debt figures therefore remain central to the dispute.