Obi’s Media Aide Raises Alarm Over Anambra’s Slide in PCL Performance Index Under Soludo

By Our Reporter

Peter Obi’s media aide, Valentine Obienyem, has raised concerns over what he described as a significant decline in Anambra State’s performance ranking under Governor Chukwuma Soludo, questioning whether the state is translating increased federal allocations into commensurate development outcomes.

Obienyem, in a post on his social media page titled “Anambra: From First to 27th,” cited the Phillips Consulting (PCL) State Performance Index and contrasted Anambra’s current ranking with its earlier position under the administration of former Governor Peter Obi.

According to Obienyem, the latest figures show Anambra ranking 27th nationally, with a composite score of -0.22, while Abia and Enugu occupy higher positions.

“The latest PCL State Performance Index is a sobering indictment of the decline in Anambra’s performance,” Obienyem wrote.

He argued that the reported decline becomes more significant when considered alongside the increase in financial resources available to the state.

“What makes this particularly painful is the enormous increase in resources available to the State,” he stated, noting that Anambra was previously ranked first nationally in the relevant PCL assessment.

Obienyem also compared the state’s estimated monthly federal allocations under the current administration with those available to previous administrations.

“A State receiving an average of about ₦25 billion monthly, compared with the roughly ₦3 billion monthly available to its predecessors, should ordinarily have much more to show in terms of measurable development,” he argued.

He further questioned whether the increased revenues accruing to the state have translated into corresponding improvements in measurable socioeconomic outcomes.

“The figures speak for themselves. From first nationally to 27th. From about ₦3 billion monthly to ₦25 billion monthly.”

Obienyem concluded his post by describing the reported decline as a matter of concern for the people of Anambra.

However, the PCL methodology and rankings require some context. Phillips Consulting released a revised 2026 State Performance Index on September 25, 2026, incorporating newly available FY2025 audited financial statements and revising aspects of its methodology. The firm said the revised edition supersedes the initial July 2026 assessment and now distinguishes between a Performance Snapshot, which measures where states currently stand, and a Rank Trajectory, which tracks movement across editions.

The July 2026 assessment had placed Anambra among states recording below-average momentum, with a score of -0.19, while Enugu and Abia recorded positive momentum scores.

The Anambra State Government has previously disputed PCL’s assessments, questioning the methodology used by the consulting firm and describing some of its findings as misleading.

The competing claims therefore leave a central question for public debate: how should Anambra’s performance be measured, and to what extent have the state’s increased revenues translated into measurable improvements in governance, infrastructure and public services?

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