Abia State Governor Alex Otti has once again stepped into the long-running debate over the money Peter Obi says he left behind after his tenure as Anambra State governor, declaring that he can personally testify to the claim because he was the CEO of Diamond Bank at the time and was involved in the financial process. The statement has now added fresh fuel to an argument that has survived several administrations, political campaigns and countless social-media battles.
Otti’s latest position is not entirely new. In 2022, he said that Obi actually left about $155 million and explained that the funds were placed in financial instruments, including Eurobonds and bank investments. Earlier, in 2017, Otti had also said he could confirm that Obi left $50 million each in Diamond Bank, Fidelity Bank and Access Bank.
The Money That Refuses to Retire
The controversy revolves around what exactly Obi handed over when he left office in 2014. Obi has repeatedly maintained that he left about $150 million in savings, alongside other investments, while Otti has previously backed the broad substance of that account. In July 2026, Obi again publicly said he left $50 million each in Access Bank, the former Diamond Bank and Fidelity Bank.
But, as Nigerian political arguments often demonstrate, money can apparently have several competing biographies. Fact-checking by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting has noted that there is no publicly available independent document conclusively establishing that Obi handed over the full $150 million as claimed, even though Otti has publicly supported the claim.
Otti Says He Was Part of the Process
Otti’s importance to the argument comes from his position at Diamond Bank during Obi’s administration. In his earlier account, Otti said Obi initially wanted to leave the money in cash but that the parties instead considered investment options, including Eurobonds and tier-two bank capital. He said some investments had maturities extending beyond the 2014 handover.
The debate, however, is not simply about whether money or investments existed. Recent reporting shows that Anambra’s government is still discussing inherited debts and obligations from previous administrations, while Obi continues to maintain that he left substantial savings. That means the political argument now has two separate questions running side by side: what assets were left, and what liabilities existed at the same time.
For OGM News NG, the latest Otti statement therefore represents another chapter in an unusually durable financial mystery. The governor says his involvement gives him firsthand knowledge, while available fact-checking records caution that the precise amount and complete financial picture remain contested. The money may have left the headlines several times, but judging by the latest statements, it clearly has no intention of leaving the political conversation. Watch out for future updates on this story from OGM News NG.
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