The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council has called on Peter Obi, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2027 presidential candidate, to withdraw from the race, citing what it described as his poor record as Anambra State governor.
In a statement issued on Monday by its spokesman, Dele Alake, the council said Obi’s image as a prudent and clean politician had collapsed following disclosures by the Anambra State government.
“In the past four years, Mr Peter Obi and his supporters packaged Obi’s tenure as Anambra governor as one defined by exceptional fiscal prudence, including the claim that he left Anambra without a debt burden,” the council said.
It added, “Obi himself was presented as a squeaky-clean politician. But it has all emerged as a well-packaged lie. Indeed, if Peter Obi has any honour, he must resign from the 2027 presidential race forthwith, in keeping with his promise to end his run if it is proven that his administration left behind liabilities in Anambra.”
The council said the Anambra State government, in response to Obi’s challenge to verify his record, disclosed that the former governor spent about $4.05 billion, or N5.4 trillion, over his eight years in office and contracted $123.77 million in external loans.
“The state also revealed that, as of when Obi left office on March 17, 2014, there were eight different external borrowings for malaria, erosion control, education, and healthcare, and that subsequent administrations, including Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s, continued to service the debt,” it added.
The council described Obi as “an irredeemable liar, a mediocre governor, unfit for leadership anywhere.”
“Borrowing is not injudicious if used for development. But for a man who prides himself on being austere and has frequently claimed he left the state with a clean bill of health, the revelations confirmed what has long been held: Obi is an irredeemable liar, a mediocre governor, unfit for leadership anywhere,” it stated.
It also accused Obi of failing to pay workers’ salaries in some ministries, noting that Water Corporation staff were among those who protested over unpaid wages.
The council urged Obi to seek forgiveness from the people of Anambra instead of campaigning, adding that his recent visit to someone facing an EFCC trial for unexplained wealth was concerning.
