The Presidency has challenged former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if claims about the state’s finances during his tenure are established to be inaccurate.

Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, issued the challenge on Wednesday following an ongoing dispute between Obi and the Anambra State Government over debts and other financial liabilities.

Onanuga said Obi had previously claimed that he left Anambra without outstanding debt and had pledged to stop campaigning if anyone proved otherwise.

He said the state government had now presented claims that Obi’s administration left liabilities involving Water Corporation workers, teachers, pensions and gratuities, as well as loans allegedly obtained for projects it considered questionable.

“The ball is back in his court. Will he follow through on his threat by quitting the race?” Onanuga asked.

The dispute followed Obi’s response to claims by the Anambra Government concerning his administration’s handling of an ecological fund, contractor liabilities and outstanding payments.

Obi said his administration cleared more than N35 billion in inherited gratuities and arrears and left office without outstanding salary, pension or gratuity obligations.

He also disputed the government’s claim concerning more than N2 billion allegedly held as an ecological fund, saying N2.13 billion remained untouched in a First Bank account for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis.

However, Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, rejected Obi’s account, saying the account identified by the former governor was an Internally Generated Revenue Consolidated Revenue Account and not an ecological fund account.

Mefor said the state government had obtained a certified printout of the account and claimed that no amount matching Obi’s stated figure had appeared as either an inflow or balance in the account since it was opened in 2011.

Obi had challenged anyone who could establish that his account of the state’s finances was incorrect, saying he would stop campaigning if such evidence was produced.

The disagreement has become part of a wider political dispute ahead of the 2027 presidential election.