Fact-checking Claims on Peter Obi’s Scorecard While Serving as Governor of Anambra State

An X user who identifies as Pastor Marvy recently made multiple claims on the microblogging platform, X, about the presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party in the 2023 General Elections, Peter Obi. He claimed that Obi did not build a government house, schools, or hospitals during his time in office as the Governor of Anambra State. He also added that Obi did not conduct local government elections nor increase the state’s revenue during his 8-year tenure. 

The claim was posted on May 10, 2025, with a blurred picture of Peter Obi and captioned, “Peter Obi couldn’t build a government house in 8 years. – Peter Obi couldn’t conduct local government elections in 8 years. – Peter Obi couldn’t BUILD a single hospital or school in 8 years. – Peter Obi couldn’t increase state revenue in 8 years. What has he ever achieved?”

As of when this report was published, it had about 18,300 views and over 500 comments, retweets, quotes, likes and bookmarks. In the comment section, @mahayto370 said, “What he failed woefully about achievements in building prosperity for his State he got it builds first-ever largest  moronic and the headless set of followers in Nigeria political landscape. [sic]” while @OgnonnayaPete18 wrote “He paid all loans, he saved money which was used for Airport, he didn't steal a dime.. he wasn't owning anyone.” 

VERIFICATION

NV-A verified each claim in the post. The first claim was about building a government house in Anambra state, however, it is important to establish the context of this claim about the government house.

Was There An Existing Government House In Anambra State Before Peter Obi Became Governor?

Anambra State had a government house before Peter Obi became governor in 2006, but it was a temporary facility. The state, created in 1991, initially utilized makeshift structures for its administrative operations. The existing government house at the time was a former construction camp along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, which was not originally designed to serve as a permanent seat of the state government. Additionally, the Governor’s residence was located in the former judges’ quarters in Amawbia, a town outside the state capital, Awka.

In 1996, the then Military Administrator, Colonel Mike Attah, initiated the construction of a permanent government house complex in Awka, awarding the contract for N650 million. However, the project faced numerous challenges, including funding issues and contractual disputes, leading to its abandonment. Successive administrations in the state did not complete the project. This includes that of Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju, who served from 1999 to 2003, Chris Ngige, who served from 2003 to 2006, and then Peter Obi, who served from 2006 to 2014. 

Meanwhile, during his tenure, Peter Obi opted to renovate the existing temporary government house rather than pursue the completion of the abandoned project for a permanent government house complex. It was not until the administration of Governor Charles Soludo that significant progress was made towards establishing a permanent government house. In 2024, plans were announced to operationalize a new government house by January 2025. The Anambra Broadcasting Service reported on May 19, 2025 that Soludo has resumed work at the New Government House.

CLAIM 1: Peter Obi Did Not Build A Government House in 8 Years

VERIFICATION

Peter Obi did not complete the construction of the new Government House project which was initiated before his tenure as Governor of Anambra State. However, his administration took significant steps toward establishing a comprehensive governmental complex, code-named ‘Three Arms Zone’.

This project was designed to include the Government House, Governor’s Lodge, Legislative Building/Speaker’s Residence, and Judiciary Building, including the Chief Judge’s Residence. It was meant to centralize the residence of all three arms of the government and administration of the State within the same vicinity. 

Despite these efforts, the ‘Three Arms Zone’ was not completed during Obi's administration. Subsequent reports indicate that the project remained unfinished for many years.

VERDICT

The claim that Peter Obi did not build a government house while in office for 8 years is MISLEADING. Though the construction did not come to fruition, he laid the groundwork for a new government house as part of a broader administrative complex for the state.

CLAIM 2: Peter Obi Did Not Conduct Local Government Elections in 8 Years

VERIFICATION

Local government elections were held in Anambra State during Peter Obi’s tenure as governor. These elections took place on January 11, 2014, towards the end of his stint in office. This marked the first time since 1998 that such elections were conducted in the state. 

Prior to these elections, Obi reportedly faced legal challenges, which delayed the conduct of the election. He attributed the delay to court litigation that prevented him from conducting the elections for over six years. Despite these challenges, he eventually oversaw the elections, which were conducted across all 21 local government areas in the state. Following the elections, Obi inaugurated 20 out of the 21 elected local government chairmen, who were members of his political party at the time, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

VERDICT

The claim that Peter Obi did not conduct local government elections for 8 years is FALSE. Records show that he conducted elections and swore in 20 out of the 21 elected local government chairmen. These officials served till the end of their tenure, after which subsequent administrations managed the local governments through appointed caretaker committees until elections were held again in 2024.

CLAIM 3: Peter Obi did not build a single hospital or school in 8 years

VERIFICATION

Peter Obi has publicly acknowledged that he did not construct new schools during his time as Governor. In fact, NV-A had, in a recent report, established that instead of building new schools, Obi focused on rehabilitating and upgrading existing educational infrastructure. A ThisDay Live exposé also confirmed that Obi’s administration constructed classroom blocks in all 177 communities of the State while also providing over 700 school buses and installing boreholes in numerous schools. 

His other initiatives in the education sector included the distribution of over 22,500 laptops and 1,400 printers to secondary schools and the establishment of Microsoft Academies in more than 500 schools across Anambra State.

Meanwhile, in the health sector, Obi’s administration undertook the construction and upgrade of healthcare facilities in the State. Obi’s government constructed the Joseph Nwilo Heart Centre at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Adazi-Nnukwu, where heart surgeries are now performed. Additionally, the first state-owned teaching hospital, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, COOUTH, in Awka, was established during his tenure. The Awka Amaku General Hospital in Amaku was transformed into a teaching hospital and College of Medicine for the university, with over 20 new structures built, including clinics, laboratories, and wards. 

Additionally, reports showed that new general hospitals were established in Anaku and Umueri, and several existing hospitals were renovated and accredited.

VERDICT

The claim that Peter Obi did not build a single hospital or school in 8 years is FALSE. He embarked on transformative projects in the educational and health sectors while in office as Governor of Anambra State.

CLAIM 4: Peter Obi did not increase state revenue in 8 years

VERIFICATION

Peter Obi’s tenure as Governor of Anambra State from 2006 to 2014 saw only a modest increase in the state's Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. According to data from the Anambra State Government’s Accountant General’s reports, the State’s IGR grew from approximately N7.4 billion in 2005 to about N8.7 billion by 2013. This marks an 18 percent increase over a period of eight years. 

This growth by the Obi administration pales compared to that of his predecessor, Chris Ngige, who increased the IGR from N800 million in 2003 to N7.4 billion in 2005, and his successor, Willie Obiano, under whom the IGR rose to 28 billion naira as of 2020. Despite the limited growth in IGR under his watch, Obi chose to focus on fiscal prudence and efficient financial management. He implemented strict cost-cutting measures, reduced government waste, and emphasized transparency. Notably, he saved over N75 billion in the State’s coffers, budgeting the funds for specific future projects and State obligations.

VERDICT

The claim that Peter Obi couldn’t increase the revenue of Anambra State in 8 years is FALSE. Data obtained shows that there was an increase in IGR, albeit modest.

CONCLUSION 

The claim about Peter Obi not building a government house is MISLEADING, while the other 3 claims are MOSTLY FALSE.