Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has defended the decision by the Anambra State Government to revisit the record of former Governor Peter Obi, arguing that the performance of presidential candidates in previous public offices should remain open to scrutiny.
Keyamo made the remarks on Thursday, September 17, 2026, while reacting to the growing dispute over Obi’s financial record during his tenure as governor of Anambra State.
The controversy intensified after the Anambra State Government released details of loans it said were contracted during Obi’s administration.
The state government said eight external borrowings associated with the former governor’s tenure had an outstanding balance of about 127.4 billion naira as of June 30, 2026.
Obi has rejected the allegations, maintaining that he left office without outstanding salary, pension, gratuity or contractor obligations and disputing claims that his administration left the state indebted in the manner alleged.
Against this backdrop, Keyamo questioned what he described as inconsistent standards in the examination of the records of political candidates.
He drew a comparison between continued scrutiny of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos State governor and the criticism surrounding the examination of Obi’s record in Anambra.
The minister argued that because both politicians are seeking the presidency, their previous records in public office are legitimate subjects of public discussion and verification.
Keyamo also defended the Anambra State Government’s decision to release information about Obi’s tenure, saying public officials and presidential candidates should expect their claims and records to be subjected to fact-checking.
The minister further expressed support for Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration over its decision to present its account of the state’s inherited financial obligations.
The dispute has added another dimension to the emerging political contest ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with questions over Obi’s record in Anambra now forming part of the wider debate over the records of presidential contenders.
