Peter Obi is a native of Agulu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. He had his Secondary School education at Christ the King College, Onitsha, and bagged a degree in Philosophy in 1984 at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Peter Obi is a businessman to the core, he has held several managerial positions in different organisations. Chief amongst these companies are Next International Nigeria Limited,
Guardian Express Bank Plc, Future View Securities, etc. and he was notably the youngest Chairman of Fidelity Bank Plc.
Peter Obi served as the Governor of Anambra State three separate times from 2006 to 2014. He became the Labour Party nominee for President of Nigeria in the 2023 presidential election In May 2022.
Real Facts About Peter Obi
DATE OF BIRTH: 19th July 1961,
PLACE OF BIRTH: Onitsha, Nigeria
NATIONALITY: Nigerian
MARITAL STATUS: Married with two children
Peter Obi Early Life & Education
Peter Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State popularly and fondly hailed as ‘Okwute’ meaning Rock was born on July 19, 1961.
He graduated with a BA in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1984. He has also completed numerous certifications in prestigious international universities such as Oxford, Harvard, and Cambridge.
Peter Obi is happily married to Margaret Brownson Usen and their union is blessed with two children, Gabriella Nwamaka Frances Obi, and Gregory Peter Oseloka Obi.
Peter Obi with a noble intention of making his State, Anambra one of the best in the country entered into politics in 2003 under the All Progressive Grand Alliance(APGA) and vied for the position of Governor. He ran the race with Chris Ngige of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP). Chris Ngige was however declared the winner of this election and Peter Obi had recourse to the court.
After three years of litigation, Ngige’s election as Governor was overturned by the Court of Appeal on March 15, 2006, and Peter Obi was sworn in as Governor on March 17, 2006. However on November 2, 2006, he was impeached and his deputy, Virginia Etiaba took over as the Governor thus becoming the first female Governor in Nigeria.
Peter Obi Political Career
Peter Obi contested in the Anambra State Governorship Election as a candidate for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) party in 2003, but his opponent, Chris Ngige of the People’s Democratic Party, was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
After nearly three years of litigation, Ngige’s victory was overturned by the Court of Appeal on 15 March 2006. Obi took office on 17 March 2006. On 2 November 2006, he was impeached by the state house of the assembly after seven months in office and was replaced the next day by Virginia Etiaba, his deputy, making her the first-ever female governor in Nigeria’s history. Obi successfully challenged his impeachment and was re-instated as the governor on 9 February 2007 by the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu. Etiaba handed power back to him after the court ruling.
Peter Obi once again left office on 29 May 2007 following the General Elections, in which Andy Uba was declared the winner by the electoral body. Obi returned to the courts once more, this time contending that the four-year tenure he had won in the 2003 elections only started to run when he took office in March 2006. On 14 June 2007, the Supreme Court of Nigeria upheld Obi’s contention and returned Obi to office. This brought to an abrupt end the tenure of Obi’s successor, Andy Uba whose 14 April 2007 election the Supreme Court nullified on the grounds that Obi’s four-year tenure should have remained undisturbed until March 2010.
Peter Obi’s Educational Institutions Attended
· Christ the King College, Onitsha (W.A.S.C.)
. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (B.A. Philosophy)
· Lagos Business School, Nigeria (Chief Executive Program)
· Harvard Business School, Boston, U.S.A. (Mid to Mid Marketing)
· Harvard Business School, Boston, U.S.A. (Changing the Game)
· London School of Economics (Financial Mgmt/Business Policy)
· Columbia Business School, New York, U.S.A. (Marketing Mgmt )
· Institute for Management Development, Switzerland (Senior Executive Program)
· Institute for Management Development, Switzerland (Break-Through Program for CEOs)
· Kellogg Graduate School of Management, U.S.A. (Advanced Executive Program)
· Kellogg School of Management U.S.A. (Global Advanced Mgmt Program)
. Oxford University: Said Business School, (Advanced Mgmt& Leadership Program)
. Cambridge University: George Business School (Advanced Leadership Program)
PETER OBI ‘S PREVIOUS POSITIONS
· Governor, Anambra State of Nigeria (2006-2014)
· Honorary Special Adviser to the President on Finance (till May 2015)
· Member, Presidential Economic Management Team (till May 2015)
· Vice-Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (2008-2014)
· Chairman, South-East Governors’ Forum (2006-2014)
. Former Chairman: Board of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
· Former Chairman: Fidelity Bank Plc.
· Former Chairman: Guardian Express Mortgage Bank, Ltd.
· Former Chairman: Future Views Securities, Ltd.
· Former Chairman: Paymaster Nigeria Plc.
· Former Chairman: Next International (Nigeria) Ltd
· Former Director: Guardian Express Bank Plc.
· Former Director: Chams Nigeria Plc.
· Former Director: Emerging Capital Ltd
· Former Director: Card Centre Plc.
PETER OBI’S MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS
· Member, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG)
· Member, Nigerian Chartered Institute of Bankers
· Member, British Institute of Directors (IOD)
PETER OBI’S MEMBERSHIP IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEES
In my capacity as the Governor of Anambra State, I served as a member of:
*Federal Government Committee on Minimum Wage
*Federal Government Committee on Negotiation with Labour on Subsidy
*Federal Government Committee on Mass Transit
*Federal Government Committee on Natural Resource
*National Economic Council Committee on Power Sector Reform
*National Economic Council Committee on Sharing of MDGs Funds
*National Economic Council Committee on Accurate Data on Nigeria’s Oil Import and Export
*Agricultural Transformation Implementation Council
*Sub-Committee on Needs Analysis of Public Universities in Nigeria
*National Economic Council Review Committee on the Power Sector.
PETER OBI’S AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
2015: Golden Jubilee Award from Catholic Diocese of Onitsha for outstanding contribution to quality healthcare delivery in St. Charles Borromeo Hospital in particular and Anambra State in general, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee celebration of the hospital.
*2014: Nigerian Library Association Golden Merit Award for remarkable improvement of libraries in Anambra State, exemplified by our Government’s construction of the Kenneth Dike Digital State Library, remarkable upgrade of the Onitsha Divisional Library, and provision of library facilities in secondary schools across the State.
*2014: Champion Newspaper Most Outstanding Igbo Man of the Decade.
* 2014 The Voice Newspaper (Holand) Achievers Award for Outstanding Example in Leadership and Governance.
*2013: Silver Bird Man of the Year (with Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State).
*2012: Business Hallmark Newspaper Man of the Year.
*2012: The Golden Award on Prudence – by the Methodist Church of Nigeria as the Most
Financially Prudent Governor in Nigeria.
* 2012: Leadership and Good Governance Award by The Ezeife Leadership Foundation Award for restoring peace and harmony to Anambra State.
* 2012: Best Performing Governor on Immunization in South-East Nigeria – by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
* 2012: Outstanding Financial Planner and Manager – by the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion for my resourcefulness and creativity in governance.
*2011: Zik Leadership Prize.
*2010: ICT Governor of the Year – by the West Africa ICT Development Award.
*2009: Champion Newspaper Nigeria’s Most Trustworthy Governor Award.
*2009: Thisday Newspaper Most Prudent Governor in Nigeria.
*2007: The Sun Newspaper Man of the Year Award.
*The Nigerian MDGs Office/UNDP Best Governor in the Implementation of the MDGs in Nigeria.
