Immediate past governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, cleared arrears of pension and gratuities before he left last march, his media aide, Valentine Obienyem, insisted yesterday. He was responding to claims by agents of incumbent governor, Chief Willie Obiano, that Peter Obi did not do as he claimed.

Obienyem said yesterday in a statement entitled ‘For the Records: Obi Cleared Arrears of Pension and Gratuities’: “Recently, some people circulated malicious news insinuating and even outrightly saying that Mr. Peter Obi did not clear arrears of pension and gratuities before he left as he claimed.

“Since I was sure that cheques were issued and that as soon as the new Governor took over, he stopped all cheques issued by Obi, I concluded that if there were retirees that were not paid, that the possibility was that their cheques were among those stopped.

“Not satisfied, I called the Union of Pensioners, Anambra State Chapter, and other relevant authorities. My findings is that Obi cleared all the arrears of pensions owned retirees in Anambra from 1999 till he left; for this he spent over N35 billion.

“My investigations revealed that Anambra pensioners are only owed from July 2014 (about 4 months now)

“I am not quarrelling with anybody nor am I trying to paint anybody black, it is not in my character. This is therefore, as the title suggests, to set the records clear.”

•Photo shows Ex-Governor Obi.