Nigeria, Sept. 28 -- Records by the Debt Management Office (DMO) show that Anambra State's external debt stock increased substantially during Peter Obi's tenure as governor, although the figures are far lower than the $123.77 million in external loan facilities the current state government says were contracted during his administration.

The DMO data show that Anambra's external debt stood at $16.87 million in December 2006, the year Mr Obi returned to office after a court victory over his impeachment by the Anambra State House of Assembly.

By December 2013, the last DMO external debt report before Mr Obi left office on 17 March 2014, the state's external debt stock had risen to $30.32 million. That is an increase of about 80 per cent ov...