Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo North, has challenged Peter Obi’s claim that he saved about $150 million for Anambra State while serving as governor, questioning how the funds were accumulated when federal allocations to states were paid in naira.
Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State and ex-national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), spoke during an interview with Symfoni TV published on Thursday.
He recalled that he and Obi were members of the National Economic Council, chaired by the vice-president, when governors proposed receiving their federal allocations in dollars to address disparities between official and market exchange rates.
According to him, the Federal Government rejected the proposal, insisting that the naira remained Nigeria’s recognised currency.
“Where did you get dollars to save? Did you receive naira from Abuja and go to bid for dollars to save for Anambra State?” Oshiomhole asked.
Oshiomhole disputes Obi’s no-borrowing claim
The senator also questioned Obi’s assertion that he did not borrow money while governing Anambra State, arguing that World Bank facilities could constitute loans even when repayment was deferred.
Oshiomhole said he accessed similar facilities, including budget-support instruments, while serving as Edo governor.
“If you are not paying it immediately, it’s not a loan? It’s in the books, and a future government will necessarily pay it anyway,” he said.
He explained that repayment moratoriums could allow a governor to leave office before a loan became due, leaving the successor administration responsible for repayment.
Oshiomhole said he believed this was the point Anambra Governor Chukwuma Soludo had sought to make in discussing Obi’s financial record.
He also criticised claims surrounding Obi’s borrowing history, referring to a reception organised by the director-general of the Debt Management Office (DMO) to acknowledge the former governor for allegedly not applying for loans for approval.
Oshiomhole described the claim as “another lie” but did not provide further details in the interview excerpt to substantiate the allegation.
Obi, who left office in 2014 after two terms as governor, has maintained that he did not burden Anambra State with debts.
He reiterated his position during a recent interview on Arise TV while responding to allegations that he left outstanding loans and liabilities.
However, Law Mefor, Anambra commissioner for information and value reorientation, previously claimed that Obi left an external debt of $123.77 million at the end of his tenure.