Former Anambra government secretary releases letter on Obi’s finances — Premium Times Nigeria
In Nigeria’s Anambra State, former state government secretary Oseloka Obaze released a 2014 handover letter stating that the administration of then-Governor Peter Obi left assets and cash balances of 86.67 billion naira after liabilities were accounted for. This was reported by Premium Times Nigeria.
Obaze, who served as Anambra’s secretary to the state government in Obi’s administration from 2006 to 2014, said he was present on March 17, 2014, when Obi handed the letter containing financial data to incoming Governor Willie Obiano. According to him, Obiano received and signed an acknowledgment of receipt of a copy of the letter with certified bank statements, other documents, and a handover report.
Data in the letter
The document titled “2014 Anambra State Handover Report” is dated March 17, 2014, the final day of Obi’s administration. It states that, as of March 14, the state’s assets and cash balances totalled 91.67 billion naira. Of this amount, 28.27 billion naira was the certified balance of the state, its ministries, departments, and agencies, while another 10 billion naira was money refunded by the federal government.
Of the total amount, 5 billion naira was set aside to cover estimated liabilities, including salaries for March 2014, pensions, payments, and approved certificates for projects already completed. After this deduction, the letter listed 86.67 billion naira.
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Debt dispute
At the same time, Premium Times Nigeria notes that Obiano’s acknowledgment of receiving the letter does not in itself confirm the actual availability of all the stated funds. The publication also writes that the financial records presented by Obi’s administration did not undergo a joint verification by the previous and new administrations.
Before the 2017 gubernatorial election, Obiano said on Channels Television that his predecessor left 9 billion naira in cash and 25.6 billion naira in sovereign funds and bank shares. According to him, before leaving office, Obi also issued cheques worth more than 15 billion naira.
The discussion resumed after the state’s finance commissioner, Izuchukwu Okafor, said that the administration of Governor Charles Soludo continues to repay loans and other debts incurred by Obi and other former governors. Obi denied this. In response, the Anambra government released loan records and stated that Obi’s administration allegedly took out eight external loans between 2007 and 2013 totalling $123.7 million, of which $92.35 million remains outstanding.
