Obi Faces Fresh Scrutiny Ahead 2027 As Anambra Settles 14-year Salary Dispute
Obi Faces Fresh Scrutiny Ahead 2027 As Anambra Settles 14-year Salary Dispute
The Anambra State Government has reached a settlement with the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) over salary arrears involving workers of the defunct State Water Corporation and the Anambra State Environmental Protection Agency (ANSEPA).
The dispute dates back to the administration of former Governor Peter Obi, who was in office when more than ₦1 billion in salary arrears owed to the affected workers became the subject of court proceedings.
In July 2014, shortly after Obi left office, the Industrial Court in Enugu ordered the release of ₦1.5 billion for payment of salary arrears owed to Water Corporation and ANSEPA workers by the government of the immediate past governor, Peter Obi. The case had been instituted during Obi’s administration.
The latest settlement puts the verified outstanding salaries at ₦1.325 billion for Water Corporation workers and ₦238.19 million for ANSEPA workers, bringing the total to ₦1.563 billion.
The union agreed to accept the verified amount as full settlement, instead of the initial claim of about ₦2.877 billion contained in a Garnishee Order.
Under the settlement, the Anambra Government also agreed to pay outstanding salaries up to December 31, 2018, while the formal termination of the affected workers’ appointments was backdated to June 2, 2015.
Qualified former workers identified through a needs assessment are to receive condonation of service, while those seeking to return to service will undergo an interview process for possible re-engagement.
2027 presidential contest
The long-running salary dispute has resurfaced as part of a wider political confrontation over Obi’s record as Anambra governor, with the former governor now seeking the presidency in the 2027 general election.
The Anambra State Government has recently alleged that Obi left behind unpaid salaries, pensions, gratuities and other liabilities when he left office in March 2014. The government has specifically cited the Water Corporation salary arrears as one of the outstanding obligations from his tenure.
Obi has rejected the allegations, insisting that he left office without outstanding salary, pension or gratuity obligations. He has challenged the state government to prove otherwise, saying he would stop his 2027 presidential campaign if evidence showed that he left such liabilities.
The state government has since released documents and challenged Obi over his claim, while the former governor’s camp has said it is preparing a detailed response to the allegations.
The issue has consequently become part of the political debate surrounding Obi’s 2027 presidential bid, with the salary-arrears dispute providing a specific historical record against which competing claims about his eight-year administration in Anambra are being debated.
The settlement itself, however, is a negotiated resolution between the state government and AUPCTRE and does not by itself determine the broader political claims now being made about Obi’s record in office.
