Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has challenged Peter Obi to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if claims concerning debts allegedly linked to his tenure as Anambra State governor are proven.
Onanuga made the challenge on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, following a growing disagreement between the former Anambra governor and the state government over outstanding financial obligations, loans and the management of public funds.
The controversy began after Peter Obi rejected allegations that his administration left behind unpaid liabilities when he handed over power in 2014. Obi insisted that his government cleared substantial arrears and left the state without outstanding salary, pension or gratuity obligations.
However, the Anambra State Government has disputed his account, presenting claims concerning loans, unpaid obligations and the handling of funds intended for an erosion control project.
Onanuga Challenges Obi To Honour His Pledge
In a post shared on X on Wednesday, Bayo Onanuga referred to Peter Obi’s earlier statement that he would stop campaigning if anyone could establish that he left Anambra State with outstanding debts.
The presidential aide argued that the state government had now responded with figures and allegations challenging the former governor’s account of his financial record.
Onanuga alleged that Obi’s administration left obligations involving Water Corporation workers, teachers, pensions and gratuities. He also criticised loans that he claimed were borrowed for what he described as frivolous purposes.
He then questioned whether Peter Obi would fulfil his reported pledge by quitting the 2027 presidential race.
Onanuga wrote on X:
“The ball is back in his court. Will he follow through on his threat by quitting the race?”
His statement has added to the political debate surrounding Obi’s record as a former governor and his plans to contest the next presidential election.
Peter Obi Rejects Anambra Debt Allegations
Peter Obi had earlier rejected claims that his administration left behind unpaid salaries, pensions, gratuities and other financial obligations when he left office as Anambra State governor.
In a statement reported on Tuesday, September 15, Obi said his administration had cleared more than ₦35 billion in historical gratuities and arrears.
He maintained that his government left office without outstanding salary, pension or gratuity obligations. He also stated that the administration did not owe contractors for projects that had been properly executed and certified.
Obi further disputed claims concerning more than ₦2 billion allegedly associated with an ecological fund for the Oko and Umuchiana erosion crisis.
According to his account, more than ₦2.13 billion had been left untouched in a First Bank account intended for the erosion project.
He challenged anyone who could establish that his account of the state’s finances was incorrect to provide evidence.
Obi reportedly said:
“If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning.”
His statement became the basis for Onanuga’s subsequent challenge, with the presidential aide asking the former governor to honour the pledge if the allegations were established.
Anambra Government Disputes Obi’s Account
The Anambra State Government has also responded to Peter Obi’s statements, disputing his description of the state’s financial position when he left office.
In a statement titled “Gov Peter Obi and Record of Public Debt in Anambra: Facts Beyond Propaganda and Lies,” Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, addressed the allegations concerning loans, arrears and the ecological fund.
Mefor disputed Obi’s claim about the money allegedly kept for the Oko and Umuchiana erosion crisis.
According to the commissioner, the First Bank account identified by Obi was an Internally Generated Revenue Consolidated Revenue Account rather than an ecological fund account.
Mefor said the government obtained a certified printout of the account and claimed that the records did not show the amount Obi referred to as having been held in the account.
The commissioner reportedly stated that since the account was opened in 2011, the records had not shown the alleged amount as either an inflow or a balance.
The claim is part of the government’s wider challenge to Obi’s description of the state’s financial records. The former governor’s account and the government’s allegations remain disputed positions in the ongoing controversy.
Dispute Over Loans and Outstanding Liabilities
Beyond the ecological fund controversy, the Anambra State Government has raised questions about loans and other financial obligations associated with previous administrations.
The government has alleged that outstanding liabilities remained from loans connected to projects and programmes implemented during or inherited by earlier administrations.
Reports on the statement by the state government also referred to obligations involving retired teachers, Water Corporation staff, salaries, pensions and gratuities.
Some of the claims concern whether certain financial obligations were inherited, incurred or settled during different administrations. Establishing responsibility for a particular debt requires examination of the relevant financial records, loan agreements and payment history.
The dispute therefore extends beyond a simple disagreement about whether Anambra had debt. It also involves questions about the classification of obligations, the timing of borrowing and payments, and how financial commitments were handled across successive governments.
Why the Controversy Is Significant
The dispute has attracted attention because Peter Obi has made public accountability and financial management important parts of his political messaging.
As a former governor of Anambra State and a presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, his record in office continues to feature in political discussions ahead of the 2027 election.
Claims about a former governor’s financial record can influence public debate about governance, transparency and the management of public resources. However, political statements from either side should be distinguished from findings independently established through official records or relevant investigations.
The disagreement also highlights the importance of clear documentation when discussing public debt. A government may have inherited some obligations, entered into new financial commitments or settled certain arrears during its tenure. These distinctions matter when assessing the financial position of a state at handover.
Will Peter Obi Respond to Onanuga’s Challenge?
Bayo Onanuga’s challenge has placed renewed attention on Peter Obi’s earlier pledge to stop campaigning if his claims about Anambra’s financial record were disproven.
Obi has already rejected the allegations and defended the actions of his administration, including its reported payment of historical arrears.
The question of whether he will directly respond to Onanuga’s demand remains open. Any further statement from the former governor could add to the ongoing debate over the evidence presented by the Anambra State Government.
Meanwhile, the controversy is likely to continue generating reactions from political commentators, supporters of the former governor and other stakeholders as the 2027 presidential contest approaches.
Conclusion
Bayo Onanuga has challenged Peter Obi to quit the 2027 presidential race over allegations concerning debts and financial obligations linked to his tenure as Anambra State governor.
Obi has rejected the allegations, maintaining that his administration cleared more than ₦35 billion in historical arrears and left office without outstanding salary, pension or gratuity obligations.
The Anambra State Government has disputed his claims, particularly regarding the ecological fund account and other alleged liabilities.
As the controversy develops, official financial records and responses from the parties involved will remain important in understanding the competing claims.
What is your opinion on Bayo Onanuga’s challenge to Peter Obi? Do you think the former governor should respond to the demand? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
