The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, has called on all former governors who served from 1999 to date to publish their handover notes the way former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi did.
Tanko made the call while reacting to renewed debate over the documents Obi handed to his successor, insisting that transparency should be a standard for all former chief executives.
In a statement on Wednesday, Tanko said the publication of Obi’s handover notes provides an opportunity to hold all past governors to the same standard of openness.
He said if other former governors have nothing to hide, they should make their records available for public scrutiny.
“LET OTHER GOVERNORS, FROM 1999 TILL DATE, HAVE THE COURAGE TO PUBLISH THEIR HANDOVER NOTES TO THEIR SUCCESSORS, AS PETER OBI HAS DONE. BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE,” Tanko declared.
According to him, such a move would allow Nigerians to assess what each administration met and what it left behind, rather than relying on claims and counter-claims.
Peter Obi governed Anambra State from 2006 to 2014, after a legal battle that restored his mandate, and handed over to Chief Willie Obiano in March 2014.
His handover documents have remained a subject of political debate, particularly regarding cash savings, investments, and the financial position of the state at the time of transition.
While supporters of Obi cite the published handover as evidence of prudent management, critics have questioned the classification and valuation of some of the assets and liabilities listed.
Tanko’s challenge comes at a time when the Anambra State Government under Governor Chukwuma Soludo has released figures it says represent liabilities inherited from the Obi era, a claim that has reignited arguments over the state’s finances.
The Obidient coordinator said the best way to settle such disputes is for all former governors to put their handover notes in the public domain.
He argued that accountability should not be selective and that Nigerians deserve to see how their states were managed across different administrations since the return to democracy in 1999.