Peter Obi Releases First Bank Account Number, Says N2.13bn Ecological Fund Left Untouched
By Aboki Forex —
Peter Obi, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate and former Anambra State governor, has released a First Bank account number he says holds more than N2.13 billion in ecological funds left untouched when he left office.
Obi gave the account as First Bank account number 2018779464. He said the balance was left 100 per cent intact. The disclosure was a direct response to claims by the Anambra State Government that his administration left inherited debts and unpaid liabilities.
What Obi Says About The Ecological Fund
Obi said the money was released to his government to tackle the erosion crisis in Oko/Umuchiana roughly three months before his tenure ended. Rather than spend it, he said he left it for the incoming administration.
He said: “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.”
He said the N2.13 billion ecological fund was not part of the over N75 billion in savings his administration left behind. He described the ecological money as ring-fenced for a particular purpose.
Obi Rejects Anambra Debt Claims
The Anambra State Government had claimed that Obi’s administration handed over inherited debts, including a N2 billion ecological loan, outstanding contractor payments, and unpaid salaries, gratuities and pensions.
In a statement released on X on September 15, Obi rejected all the claims as “completely false.” He said his government spent years clearing historical gratuity arrears and pension backlogs dating back to well before his tenure. Total payments, he said, amounted to more than N35 billion.
Obi said: “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.”
Savings And Direct Challenge
Obi said his administration left behind over N75 billion in savings. He stressed that funds tied to specific projects or set aside for particular purposes were not included in that figure.
He said: “It is important to stress that funds tied to specific projects or set aside for particular purposes were not even included in the over N75 billion in savings we left behind.”
He then issued a direct challenge to anyone who disputes his account. Obi said: “If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning.”
World Bank Approves $500m For Agriculture
Separately, the World Bank has approved a $500 million credit facility for Nigeria to support agricultural development under a new programme aimed at improving productivity, strengthening value chains and enhancing food security.
The funding, provided through the International Development Association, will finance the Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains for Growth Project (AGROW). The bank said the initiative is designed to boost smallholder farmers’ productivity, improve market linkages and create jobs across the country.