Peter Obi Reaffirms Claim of Leaving $150 Million and ₦36 Billion in Anambra Savings

Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has once again defended his long-standing assertion that he left approximately $150 million and ₦36 billion in state savings upon the conclusion of his tenure in 2014.

In a recent interview, Obi addressed recurring skepticism regarding the management of these funds, maintaining that the savings were legitimately and transparently invested across three commercial banks: Diamond Bank, Fidelity Bank, and Access Bank. According to his breakdown, each institution held an equal share of $50 million and ₦12 billion in state resources.

Obi dismissed allegations of personal enrichment or conflict of interest, stating that the dollar deposits were placed in standard financial bonds with publicly available rates. He challenged those questioning the figures to verify the records directly with the involved banks, insisting that the process was entirely above board and resulted in no financial loss to the state.

“Go to those banks. There are bonds; the rates are as issued. Everybody knows the rates. Go to them and see if there’s anyone who has been shortchanged,” Obi stated.

The former governor, who is a leading opposition figure for the 2027 presidential election, further challenged his critics to identify another sub-national government in Nigeria that successfully accumulated comparable savings during a governor’s term. He has consistently utilized this claim as evidence of his commitment to prudent financial management during his eight-year administration.

The issue of the Anambra savings has been a subject of intense political debate for years. While some supporters and banking executives have corroborated Obi’s account, political opponents and successors have previously disputed the figures.

Critics have often argued that the reported savings did not account for outstanding liabilities and debts owed to contractors, suggesting that the state’s true financial position at the time was more complex than the cash reserves reported by the former governor.