The Anambra State Government has challenged former governor Peter Obi to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, alleging that he failed to keep past promises concerning the state’s debt profile and the payment of workers’ salaries.
The government made the challenge on Tuesday in a post on its official X account, citing statements allegedly made by Obi during his tenure as governor of Anambra State. 
According to the state government, Obi had previously pledged to quit the presidential contest if it could be established that he left Anambra with outstanding debts. It also alleged that he had promised to resign as governor if workers’ salaries were not paid as and when due.
The government argued that both conditions were not met, claiming that Obi left office in 2014 with outstanding salary arrears.
“Obi vowed to quit the presidential race if proven he left Anambra in debt. As governor, he vowed to resign if workers weren’t paid on time. He broke both. He left office in 2014 with heavier arrears,” the government stated.
To support its claim, the state government published a letter dated April 25, 2006, purportedly signed by Chuks Iloegbunam, who was then Obi’s Chief of Staff.
The letter, titled “Gubernatorial Prerogative,” contained what it described as a special appeal to the governor to address salary arrears owed to workers of the Anambra State Water Corporation.
The document stated that workers of the corporation had not received their salaries since February, while its monthly wage bill was estimated at about N15 million.
The letter appealed to Obi to include the Water Corporation among government agencies whose workers were paid through regular government subventions, arguing that such an arrangement would prevent repeated visits to the governor’s office over unpaid salaries.
“Since it is Your Excellency’s unchanging desire to achieve a better future for our children and children’s children, please, Sir, bear in mind that officials of the Water Corporation also have children who are looking to your compassionate leadership,” the letter stated.
It further appealed to the governor to ensure that the workers were paid regularly, noting that the corporation’s monthly salary requirement was about N15 million.
“Because you have a very busy schedule, I appeal to you to please include the Water Corporation in the league of Government parastatals that are paid through subventions. In this way, the workers will not come to Your Excellency’s office every month to distract your attention on account of unpaid salaries,” the letter added.
The latest exchange comes as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Obi expected to remain one of the prominent figures in the emerging opposition political realignment.
Obi, who served as Anambra governor from 2006 to 2013, returned to the national political spotlight after contesting the 2023 presidential election on the Labour Party platform. He has since been associated with efforts to build a broader political coalition ahead of the 2027 election.
The Anambra government’s latest claim centres on Obi’s record while in office and his previously reported statements on debt and workers’ welfare.
However, the document released by the state government specifically concerns salary arrears owed to Water Corporation workers in 2006. The document, by itself, does not establish the total salary arrears allegedly outstanding when Obi left office in 2014.
Obi and his political camp would have to respond to the state government’s latest allegations for their position on the document and the broader claims to be established.
