The Anambra State Government has firmly debunked recent claims by former Governor Peter Obi regarding the tax status of Intafact Beverages Limited, the Onitsha-based brewery affiliated with SABMiller.
Obi, a key figure in Nigeria’s political landscape and the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, had alleged in a widely circulated interview that the brewery was the “second highest taxpayer in Anambra” during his administration.
However, the state government, under the leadership of Governor Charles Soludo, has now issued an official fact-check directly contradicting Obi’s statement.
According to government records made public on Wednesday, Intafact Beverages did not rank as the second highest taxpayer at any point during Obi’s tenure or beyond.
“This is not only misleading but also contradicts verifiable state revenue records,” the Anambra State Board of Internal Revenue said in a statement, adding that companies like Nigerian Breweries Plc and other top manufacturing firms consistently outpaced Intafact in tax contributions.
The rebuttal comes amid growing scrutiny of Obi’s economic legacy and his continued commentary on governance matters, particularly in Anambra.
While Obi has often cited his business-friendly reforms and prudent fiscal management as cornerstones of his time in office, the state’s current administration insists that factual accuracy must prevail over political narratives.
Intafact Beverages, established in 2012 through a public-private partnership, has remained operational but reportedly enjoyed several tax holidays and incentives at its inception — further challenging the credibility of Obi’s ranking claim.
This development adds to the simmering political tension between Obi’s loyalists and the Soludo-led state government, which has repeatedly emphasized the need to “set the records straight” on governance and legacy issues.
