Former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has released his official handover document to counter claims by the Anambra State Government that his administration left behind outstanding loans and financial liabilities.
The document, dated March 17, 2014, details the financial position of the state at the time he left office, after handing over to his successor, Willie Obiano.
According to the handover note, the Obi administration left a net positive balance of over ₦86 billion in local and foreign currency investments, including cash and fixed deposits, as well as investments in quoted companies.
The release comes days after a document circulating and attributed to the current administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo listed several World Bank and IFAD-assisted projects as loans allegedly taken by the state during Obi’s tenure from 2006 to 2014.
Obi’s supporters argue that the listed projects – including the Malaria Control Booster Project, FADAMA III, Health Systems Development Project II, SEPIP, Community and Social Development Project, NEWMAP and VCDP – were Federal Government borrowings from international development partners where Anambra was only a participating beneficiary state, and not direct state government loans.
Reacting to the controversy, the Anambra State Government has maintained that irrespective of the borrower structure, the financial obligations and counterpart funding linked to the programmes were tied to the state and remain part of its inherited liabilities.
The debate has continued to generate heated reactions on social media, with both camps trading documents and interpretations of World Bank financing records.
As at press time, the State Government is yet to issue a detailed official response to the handover document released by Obi.
“I have taken some time to research on the loan descriptions as released by the Anambra State Government which they claim PO as Governor signed off and my findings are as follows:
1. The Nigeria Malaria Control Booster Project (MCBP) 2007:
This was financed through a US$180 million IDA credit from the World Bank to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not a loan independently taken by the Anambra State Government. The World Bank records say the original IDA credit was approved in December 2006 and became effective on May 15, 2007.
Anambra was one of the seven participating states, along with Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano and Rivers.
VERDICT: FG was the borrower not Anambra State Government.
2. Fadama III:
This project was a World Bank/IDA-financed project for Nigeria. The World Bank’s project documentation identifies the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the borrower, not Anambra State.
The original Fadama III project was approved in 2008. The World Bank records the project period as 2008–2013 and the original IDA financing as US$250 million.
Anambra was one of the states participating in the project. World Bank records specifically identify an Anambra State Fadama III Project, financed through IDA Credit No. 45960.
Therefore, describing the Anambra Fadama III programme simply as “a loan taken by Anambra State Government in 2007″ would be misleading. The underlying World Bank borrowing was at the Federal Government level.
VERDICT: FG was the borrower not Anambra State Government
3. Health Systems Development ll (ADD FIN.)
The financial document listing Nigeria’s state-level IDA obligations records “Health Systems Development” Anambra State, with a signing date of August 22, 2003, an amount of XDR 4,831,046, and a 0.75% service charge.
The same document separately lists Health System Development Project II (Additional Financing) for Anambra, so the 2009 reference may relate to the additional financing/HSDP II, rather than the original HSDP.
Anambra-specific records confirm that Health System Development Project II was World Bank-assisted, with activities being implemented in the state.
VERDICT: It was an FG project benefiting Anambra State. The Original document was signed in 2003 and 2009 was just an additional financing of the 2003 signed document.
4. The State Education Program Investment Project (SEPIP):
It started in 2013 and included Anambra State. However, the World Bank documents identify the Federal Government of Nigeria as the borrower, not Anambra State Government. The original financing was a US$150 million IDA credit to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with funds disbursed to Anambra, Bauchi and Ekiti through subsidiary financing agreements.
The World Bank’s financing agreement for the original SEPIP is Credit No. 5220-NG, dated April 16, 2013.
VERDICT: FG was the borrower not Anambra State.
5.The Community and Social Development Project (P090644):
This project became effective in February 2009.
The World Bank’s project completion report identifies the Federal Government of Nigeria as the borrower of the original IDA financing. The original commitment was SDR 121.5 million (US$200 million equivalent).
Anambra was just one of the participating states.
6:The Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP):
This project was approved by the World Bank in May 2012 and became effective in September 2013.
The original financing agreement was between the International Development Association (IDA) and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for US$600 million.
Anambra was one of the participating states and had its own State Project Management Unit (SPMU) implementing the project.
Anambra’s project documents explicitly refer to the funds as part of the Federal Government’s IDA credit. A 2014 procurement notice says the Federal Government had received the credit.
VERDICT: FG was the borrower not Anambra State Government.
7. The Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP):
Records shows VCDP was approved by IFAD in April 2012, not 2013.
The financing agreement was between the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and IFAD, signed in August 2012.
The programme became effective in October 2013.
The original programme covered Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Niger, Ogun and Taraba.
The original financing included an IFAD loan of US$74.4 million, an IFAD grant of US$0.5 million, plus counterpart contributions from the Federal Government, participating states, LGAs and beneficiaries.
IFAD’s documentation specifically describes the loan agreement as being between FGN and IFAD.
VERDICT: FG was the borrower not Anambra State Government.
OVERALL VERDICT:
All the project listed by the Soludo led Anambra State claiming that it was financed by loan independently taken by Anambra State Government under Mr. Peter Obi are 100% false and misleading. Verifiable World Bank records shows FG was indeed the borrower while Anambra State under Obi participated and benefited just like some other states.
LAGOS — The curtains have fallen on one of Nigeria’s greatest acting legends.
Veteran actor and film executive, Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84.
His family announced his passing early this morning, September 16, 2026. In a statement posted on Instagram by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, the family said:
_”It is with gratitude to God for a life well lived and fought, that we announce the passing of our dear husband, father, grandfather and uncle. The Lion of Lufodo.”_
The family has asked bloggers and the public to respect their privacy at this difficult time.
Olu Jacobs, husband to veteran actress Joke Silva, was a colossus of the Nigerian and British stage and screen. Trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) in London, his career spanned over five decades, from British TV classics like _The Goodies_ and _The Professionals_ to Nollywood blockbusters.
He was a recipient of the Industry Merit Award at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor, and was conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).
He is survived by his wife, Joke Silva, and children.
Debunking the Phantom Debts and Ecological Loan Fallacy
My attention has been drawn to trending claims by the Anambra State Government that my administration left behind inherited debts, including a ₦2 billion ecological loan, contractor liabilities, and unpaid salaries, gratuities, and pensions. This is completely false.
We systematically liquidated historical gratuities and arrears dating back several years, amounting to over ₦35 billion. At the point of handover, the state owed nothing in salaries, gratuities, or pensions, nor did we owe anything to any contractor for projects duly executed and certified.
The ₦2 billion ecological fund in question was released barely three months before the end of my tenure for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis. Despite pressure to spend the money, I refused, insisting that it should be left for my successor because government is a continuum and the funds were tied to a specific project.
The money was therefore left 100 per cent intact in First Bank, in Account No. 2018779464, with a balance of over ₦2.13 billion.
It is important to stress that funds tied to specific projects or set aside for particular purposes were not even included in the over ₦75 billion in savings we left behind.
If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning.
LAGOS— A viral photo circulating online has sparked widespread reactions after it purportedly showed Lagos lawmaker Desmond Elliot kneeling to beg the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The photo, which was shared in a post attributed to Vanguard News on Facebook, claimed that Elliot was seeking forgiveness and plotting a return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) fold.
In the image, Elliot is seen on his knees in what appears to be an office setting, gesturing while speaking to two seated men, one of whom is believed to be Gbajabiamila.
The post with the caption “Desmond Elliot begs Gbajabiamila for forgiveness, seeks return to APC” has generated thousands of comments and shares within hours, with many Nigerians questioning the authenticity and context of the picture.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Hon. Desmond Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, nor Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has officially reacted to the viral image or the claim.
Desmond Elliot, a former actor turned politician, has been a member of the APC and a close political ally of Gbajabiamila in Lagos politics for years.
Efforts to get an official confirmation from Vanguard News on the post were still ongoing at press time.
ABA— Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has approved the construction and reconstruction of three major roads in Aba to boost commerce and ease transportation in the commercial hub.
The announcement was made during a state executive council briefing in Umuahia. The government said the projects are aimed at addressing long-standing infrastructure decay and improving access to markets in Aba.
The three roads approved are:
1.Port Harcourt Road – A key commercial artery linking major markets in the city center.
2.Omuma Road – Expected to decongest traffic and connect residential areas to the main business district.
3.Eziukwu Road– To improve access to the popular Eziukwu Market and surrounding areas.
Governor Otti said the projects will be handled by competent contractors and monitored to ensure quality and timely delivery. He added that his administration remains committed to restoring Aba’s reputation as the “Japan of Africa.”
“These roads are critical to the economic revival of Aba. We cannot talk about trade and industry without good roads,” Otti stated.
Residents and traders in Aba have welcomed the development, expressing hope that the projects will reduce flooding, gridlock, and losses incurred due to bad roads.
Work on the roads is expected to commence in the coming weeks.
The Anambra South Senatorial candidate for the, National Democratic Congress, NDC, Dr. Ebuka Onunkwo, has said that epileptic power supply remains the major challenge to industries and industrialists in Nnewi and other parts of the state and country, and vowed to prioritize legislations and policies to improve power supply if elected to represent the area at the national assembly.
Aside power supply, Dr. Onunkwo, who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sea Horse Lubricant Industries Limited, noted high interest rates for beginners, and the poor business enabling environment as others challenges facing industrialists, but maintained that he is not relenting in the business, especially because his staff are partners in growing the business.
Dr. Onunkwo, who described the Bank of Industry as a good way for industrialists to get access to fund, said he will, as a Senator, help to get the Federal Government to inject more money into the bank, thereby helping to address insecurity.
Addressing members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Anambra State Council during on a facility tour of his company – Sea Horse Lubricant Industries Limited at Ozubulu in Ekwusigo LGA of the state, Dr. Onunkwo also decried double taxation (through emblems) as another challenge to industrialists, and promised to help make laws to end it.
He said though his company is running successfully; enabling him to touch lives positively, he needs a better platform to step up and expand his philanthropic gestures, hence his decision to join the Anambra South senatorial race to help make laws that will uplift humanity.
Recalling his humble beginning, Dr. Onunkwo testified that God answered when he as a child prayed that if he becomes successful, he would use God’s blessings to touch lives positively.
To unlock the industrial potentials of Nnewi and environs, the NDC Anambra South Senatorial candidate called for an independent power station, industry clusters, the building of roads and other infrastructure to ease doing business, as obtained abroad, adding that if elected as a Senator, he plans to sponsor a bill (Industrial Cluster Power Pact Bill) to ensure the establishment of a power station to enhance production.
On the uniqueness of the seven local government areas he seeks to represent and how to tackle their challenges, Dr. Onunkwo said he has continued to tour the zone, and has plans to facilitate single-digit loans for businesses in the area; in addition to the establishment of a power station, and address insecurity in the Ihiala area.
Dr. Onunkwo, who lamented insecurity in parts of the country, said he believes enough money is being given to Governors as security votes, and called for judicious use of same in fighting insecurity.
He regretted that many youths are no longer interested in business apprenticeship, and promised to help institutionalize the Igbo apprenticeship model, “Igba boi”, through legislation to restore confidence in it, as well as building well-equipped skills acquisition centres; all aimed at engaging young people meaningfully.
Speaking on roads, he said the deplorable state of roads everywhere in Nigeria is a result of poor oversight, which is one of the duties of a legislator, alongside representation and legislation.
While expressing confidence in unseating the established political order in the state and his senatorial district, Dr. Onunkwo said he is a household name in politics, and that the people of Anambra South have confidence that he will give them effective representation because of what he has done, regretting that the style of representation of the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, whom he described as a dogged fighter and grassroots mobilizer, is still being yearned for years after his death.
The industrialists called on men of goodwill to join politics so that society will not fall into the wrong hands.
On the 2027 Presidential candidate of the NDC, Mr. Peter Obi, Dr. Onunkwo said Obi is popular with all Nigerians, and that his popularity and high acceptability are a plus to his (Onunkwo’s) political ambition.
Leaving no stone unturned in his efforts to win the senatorial race, Dr. Onunkwo said he maintains cordial relationship with the late Ubah team, and has continued moving from door to door and use other platforms, including women’s August meetings to reach actual voters.
Dr. Onunkwo, who advised journalists to always report verified facts and be the societal watchdog by holding leaders accountable, warned against fake news for the purpose of driving traffic.
In his remarks, the Anambra NUJ Chairman, Dr. Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, said the union in the state rates Dr. Onunkwo high and wishes him well in the senatorial race, adding that the visit for facility tour marked a new partnership for the NUJ and Dr. Onunkwo.
MAKURDI — Amnesty International has condemned the blocking of opposition NDC presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, from entering Benue State, describing it as a “reckless and unlawful” act of political repression that threatens Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement obtained by BVI Channel on Monday, the human rights organization said heavily armed youth unlawfully barricaded Gboko Road in Makurdi, the state capital, in what it described as a coordinated attack that put Obi’s entourage at risk.
“Benue State government has questions to answer for this brazen act of political repression,” Amnesty said. “No Nigerian needs anybody’s permission or prior notification to visit any part of the country — at all times. No state is a no-go area for any person or supporters of any political party.”
The group labeled the incident “an unprecedented and dangerous act of political hooliganism that undermines the entire democratic process.
Amnesty further accused state-endorsed vigilante groups and political thugs of harassing rival candidates, calling the practice unlawful.
Organization said it has, since last year, documented a “shocking level of political repression” across several states. This includes preventing hotels from hosting opposition meetings, direct attacks on political activities of rival parties, and other actions that undermine a level playing field.
“We are seriously concerned that the Nigerian Government is doing very little to prevent political repression and violence,” the statement read. “Some states have been implementing unpronounced policy of using all means of shutting out any political opposition.”
Amnesty also expressed concern over the failure of relevant authorities to investigate and prosecute suspected perpetrators of political violence.
The group called for decisive action to address “alarming intolerance, incitements and other efforts to undermine democracy.”
It urged political parties and candidates to make an anti-violence and anti-thuggery stance “a clear and integral part of their election campaign.”
As of the time of filing this report by BVI Channel, the Benue State government had not issued an official response to Amnesty’s allegations.
How Hired Thugs Obstructed My Visit to Benue State
Yesterday, I attended the opening of the national campaign office of an opposition presidential candidate, Governor Seyi Makinde in Abuja. My presence was intended to demonstrate that politics can and should be conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect and civility. As Governor of Anambra State, I made it a point during electioneering to welcome visiting opposition members personally, provided they acted within the ambits of the law.
Guided by that same commitment to decency over partisanship, I travelled to Benue this morning, arriving at approximately 9:00 a.m. on a purely humanitarian mission: to visit the grieving families affected by the horrific killings in Yelwata, where over 270 people were massacred.
Regrettably, our convoy was prevented from proceeding to the community by thugs chanting, “Peter Obi, go back.” It was deeply distressing to witness such hostility. I came to Benue not for partisan politics, but to mourn with our people, to listen to families who have lost loved ones, and to offer comfort at a moment of unimaginable sorrow. That a mission intended purely to show solidarity, compassion, and support could be obstructed in this manner is deeply alarming.
At a time when our nation should be united in grief and resolute in preventing further bloodshed, we must reject any action capable of deepening our divisions. The people of Benue – and all Nigerians – deserve to sleep without fear. They deserve to travel without fear. They deserve to cultivate their land without fear. Above all, they deserve a country where the state places the protection of human life far above political expediency.
Although we were unable to reach the community today, our thoughts and prayers remain steadfastly with the victims, their families, and the entire Yelwata community. We shall continue to work until the primary responsibility of government – the safeguarding of every Nigerian life – is restored. Until then, we cannot truly say we have built the nation our people deserve.
*Makinde Slams APC Over Viral ‘Lapping’ Video, Urges Oyo Residents To Reject Party In 2027*
IBADAN — Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has criticized the All Progressives Congress over a viral video involving the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, and urged residents not to vote for the APC in the 2027 election.
Makinde made the statement while addressing PDP supporters over the weekend. He referred to a trending video where Senator Alli was seen during an interview with a young man seated on his lap, while the senator was also seen touching the man’s leg.
Without mentioning names, Makinde said: “If you like vote for those people lapping each other, that’s where your problem will start, they will first forget you. You better vote for who we said you should vote for.”
He called on voters to support the candidate his party will present to succeed him when he leaves office in May 2027.
The Alli campaign team explained that students had visited the senator to invite him to an event and due to insufficient chairs, one of them sat on his lap. They described it as an “unplanned and fatherly gesture.”
The Oyo APC also accused Governor Makinde of trying to intimidate residents and traditional rulers who host APC politicians, and said the party will continue to take its “Renewed Hope Agenda” to the people.
The incident has sparked discussions across the state as political activities begin to pick up ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
