Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress and former spokesman for Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign, said he was misled when he earlier defended the former Anambra State Governor against claims of leaving debts and unpaid obligations.
Okonkwo made the disclosure on Sunday during an appearance on Television Continental’s Sunday Politics programme. He now serves as spokesman for the presidential campaign council of Atiku Abubakar, the ADC candidate for the 2027 election.
Okonkwo recalled his previous statements during the 2023 campaign. “There was a time I told Nigerians that Peter Obi was not owing anything, did not leave any debt, he was not owing any salary. No gratuity. No pension. And I said, go and verify,” he said.
He added that he remained open to new evidence. “I’m not a man that stands on my own misunderstanding. When I see the facts, I agree.”
Okonkwo then pointed to disclosures from the Anambra State Government. The government stated that the Obi administration obtained eight loans. It also said workers at the state-owned water corporation were owed salaries and arrears.
Meanwhile, Okonkwo declared that he could no longer repeat his earlier claims. “The fact is, the Anambra State Government said he borrowed eight loans. The fact is that Anambra State said that at the water corporation, he was owing workers there all the salaries, all the arrears. I cannot say the same thing that I said about Peter Obi in 2023,” he stated.
He further noted a change in approach for the coming election. “That’s why I said in 2023, I campaigned for them as the examination in chief. In 2027, there’s going to be a cross-examination,” Okonkwo said.
The comments came amid an ongoing dispute between Obi and the Anambra State Government over the state’s debt profile from the former governor’s tenure between 2006 and 2014.
