Senator Adams Oshiomhole has challenged Peter Obi to explain how he accumulated $156m in savings while serving as Anambra State governor, questioning how the funds were obtained when states received their federal allocations in naira.
Oshiomhole, a former Edo State governor, raised the questions during an interview with Symfoni TV published on Thursday, disputing Obi’s account of his financial record while in office from 2006 to 2014.
The senator said both men were members of the National Economic Council when governors sought permission to receive federal allocations in dollars because of differences between official and market exchange rates. He said the Federal Government rejected the proposal, insisting that allocations would be paid in naira.
“So all the allocations we receive are in naira. So I asked Obi, 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.
He also challenged Obi’s claim that he did not borrow money while in office, arguing that funds obtained through World Bank facilities remained loans even where repayment was deferred.
“They are loans. But he then went on to say that these are not loans you pay immediately. Because you are not paying it immediately, it’s not a loan?” Oshiomhole said.
The senator added that such obligations remained on government records and could fall due after an administration had left office. “It’s in the books. And a future government will necessarily pay it anyway,” he said.
Oshiomhole also questioned Obi’s account of an event organised by the Director-General of the Debt Management Office to recognise him for allegedly not seeking loan approvals, describing the claim as “another lie”. However, he did not provide further details in the interview excerpt to support the allegation.
Obi has maintained that he did not leave Anambra State burdened with debts. He reiterated his position during a recent interview with Arise Television. However, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, previously alleged that Obi left $123.77m in debt at the end of his tenure.
Oshiomhole also cited Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s comments on Obi’s financial record, describing the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor as an authority on financial matters. “If you know Soludo, I think you should accept that when it comes to financial questions, Soludo is the authority,” he said.
