Nigeria: 'Prove It,' Nigerians Tackle Soludo Over Debt Claims, Attacks On Peter Obi

What the report says

Nigerians have reacted sharply to remarks from Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo and his administration’s finance commissioner, Izuchukwu Okafor, after the state government said in a podcast discussion that it was still servicing loans and other debts linked to earlier administrations, including that of former governor Peter Obi. The comments, reported by Premium Times and distributed by AllAfrica, have renewed a long-running political dispute over Obi’s record in office and Soludo’s public criticism of him.

Obi, who governed Anambra from 2006 to 2014 and is now the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, responded by insisting he left office without unpaid salaries, pensions, gratuities or contractor debts. In a later post on Facebook, he said he saved more than N75 billion in a First Bank account and challenged Soludo’s administration to produce evidence to the contrary, adding that he would abandon his presidential bid if proven wrong.

The article says the challenge prompted criticism of Soludo from some Nigerians, including Facebook users and public commentators who urged him to present account statements or other records rather than continue attacking Obi. One Canada-based commenter described the governor’s repeated remarks as difficult to understand, while another accused him of trying to damage Obi’s reputation.

The dispute matters because both men remain influential figures in Nigerian politics, and the exchange touches on public accountability, state finances and the broader contest shaping the country’s 2027 election cycle. All of the claims in the piece are presented as allegations and counterclaims rather than independently verified findings.