A VIRAL post on Twitter claimed that Anambra State owes a combined debt of over N200 billion.

The claim was made by a Twitter user with the handle Nnamdi Chife @NnamdiChife on January 10, 2021.

The handle currently has over 15,100 followers.

The tweet also stated that the former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, handed over N72 billion in cash and $150 million in Anambra Generational Fund to his successor, Willie Obiano.

The tweet reads: “I am incredibly heartbroken. Anambra State is owing a combined debt of over N200 billion!!! Peter Obi handed over this state to Obiano with N72 billion in cash and $150M in Anambra Generational Fund. All frittered away, broken infrastructure, debt, and profligacy.”

The tweet, which also appeared on a blog here, has been retweeted more than 1,900 times and liked more than 2,700 times as of 8 p.m. on January 10.

THE CLAIMS
From the tweet, these two claims were established:

Anambra State has a combined debt profile of over N200 billion.
Former Governor Peter Obi handed over N72 billion in cash and $150 million to Governor Willie Obiano.
THE FINDINGS
CLAIM 1: Did Anambra State have a combined debt profile of over N200 billion?

Data show that this claim is FALSE.

The FactCheckHub checked Nigeria’s Debt Management Office (DMO)’s website, the government agency in charge of collating the total debts owed by the federal government of Nigeria as well as each state of the federation.

According to the latest data released by the DMO on 31st of December, 2020, for the domestic debt, Anambra State owed N59.013 billion as of September 30, 2020.

CLAIM 2: Did Peter Obi hand over N72 billion in cash and $150 million in Generational Fund to Willie Obiano?

There is no publicly available data or document that shows that former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, handed over N72 billion in cash and $150 million in Anambra Generational Fund to his successor. There have also been several controversies surrounding the actual amount Peter Obi handed over to Willie Obiano.

Also, data from DMO website revealed that as of December 2013, Anambra State under the leadership of Peter Obi owed N3.026 billion in domestic debt and a total sum of $30.324 million in external debt.

While it is difficult to ascertain which of the two parties is right, it is easy to conclude that the claim is MOSTLY FALSE, as the amount in contention has always been N75 billion and not N72 billion as stated in the claim.

In addition, from the reactions of the two parties it can be surmised that the amount in question is made up of cash and long term investments, which the Obiano camp said were mostly non-earning yet.

THE VERDICT
The claim that Anambra State has a combined debt profile of over N200 billion is FALSE.

The claim that Peter Obi handed over N72 billion in cash and $150 million in Generational Fund to Obiano is MOSTLY FALSE.

nzeobi:
Oga continue with your local zombeism. The bank confirmed that Peter Obi left such amount with them in their account and that Willie has squandered the money on alcohol and women.

doggedfighter:
Who's bankrolling you and this your post?

globemoney:

Please mention the bank that confirmed that and source.. I guess it must be bank of China.. icirnigeria is asking for evidence

https://www.icirnigeria.org/fact-check-claim-that-anambras-debt-profile-is-over-n200bn-is-false/

nzeobi:


Oga write fidelity bank personally and ask them of the balance in anambra state account on the day of handover.

History555:
Obi said he handed over 75billion in cash and investment
He neva mentioned anything about 150million Dollars. The person that wrote the article was lying.

globemoney:
lalasticlala mynd44 this is FP worthy, dont be quick to post fake news and not the fact check