Peter Obi Biography
Nigerian politician, businessman, and philanthropist Peter Gregory Onwubuasi Obi CON (Listeni, born July 19, 1961) held the positions of governor of Anambra from March to November 2006, February to May 2007, and June 2007 to March 2014. After leaving the People’s Democratic Party in May 2022, he ran as the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for Nigeria in the 2023 election.
Obi received his degree from the University of Nigeria in 1984 and was born in Onitsha in 1961. After that, he started working in business and banking and eventually held a number of executive roles across many banks. In 2003, Obi ran for governor as a candidate for the All Progressives Grand Alliance, but Chris Ngige was declared the victor. Obi won the 2003 election and took office in March 2006 after Chris Ngige’s candidacy was declared invalid in 2006. Shortly after, the Anambra State House of Assembly, presided over by Hon. Mike Balonwu, impeached him in November of the same year.
He was impeached, but it was overruled, and in February 2007 he was reinstated. Obi was ousted following the 2007 Anambra State governorship election, but the judiciary once more stepped in and decided that he should be let to serve out his entire four-year term. He won reelection to a second term in 2010
Obi switched to the Peoples Democratic Party after leaving office in 2014. He was chosen to run alongside Atiku Abubakar as the PDP’s vice presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential election, however he was defeated by Yemi Osinbajo and Muhammadu Buhari for the ticket. Obi campaigned for president in 2022, first in the PDP before switching parties to win the Labour Party’s candidacy in May 2022. Many young Nigerians who have adopted the moniker “Obidients” have supported Obi’s populist presidential campaign, which has been characterized as such.
peter obi Early life and education
Before entering politics, Obi worked in business. In some private institutions, he held executive positions.
He worked for several businesses, including Next International Nigeria Ltd., Chairman and Director of Guardian Express Mortgage Bank Ltd., Guardian Express Bank Plc., Future View Securities Ltd., Paymaster Nigeria Ltd., Chams Nigeria Ltd., Data Corp Ltd., and Card Centre Ltd. He was the Fidelity Bank Plc.’s youngest chairman.
Gubernatorial tenure and vice presidential candidacy
First term
Obi campaigned for governor of Anambra State in 2003 under the banner of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), but the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) proclaimed Chris Ngige of the People’s Democratic Party the victor.
On March 15, 2006, the Court of Appeal overturned Ngige’s victory following nearly three years of litigation. Obi was inaugurated on March 17, 2006. After just seven months in office, he was impeached by the Mike Balonwu-led Anambra State House of Assembly on November 2, 2006. Virginia Etiaba, his deputy, took over as governor the following day, making her the first woman to hold that position in Nigeria. On 9 February 2007, the Court of Appeal in Enugu reinstated Obi as governor after he successfully contested his impeachment. After the court’s decision, Etiaba returned the power to him.
Following the General Elections, in which Andy Uba was certified the victor by the electoral commission, Obi again resigned from office on May 29, 2007. Obi made a second court appearance, arguing that the four-year term he had won in the 2003 election had only begun to run when he assumed office in March 2006. Obi was reinstated in office after the Supreme Court of Nigeria upheld his claim on June 14, 2007. The Supreme Court invalidated Andy Uba’s election on April 14, 2007, claiming that Obi’s four-year term should have continued unhindered until March 2010, bringing to a premature halt Uba’s administration.
peter obi Second term
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) proclaimed Obi the victor of the 2010 Anambra State governor’s race on February 7, 2010. He beat former CBN governor Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo. Obi’s additional four years as governor were made possible by this electoral victory.
Turned over the governorship to Willie Obiano on March 17, 2014. Obi defected to the Peoples Democratic Party in 2014, which helped him earn fresh reputation as a proponent of good administration and a prominent national political figure after he left office.
President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Obi to lead the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) following the 2015 general election.
2019 presidential elections
Atiku Abubakar, the candidate for president of the People’s Democratic Party in the 2019 election, chose Obi as his running partner on October 12, 2018. Obi opposed calls for a uniform federal minimum wage, contending that each state should set its own minimum wage. The second-placed Abubakar/Obi ticket
2023 presidential candidacy
stated his desire to run for President of Nigeria on the Peoples Democratic Party platform on March 24, 2022, but then withdrew and said he would be running on the platform of the Labour Party. The Peoples Gazette reports that on May 24, Peter Obi resigned his membership in the Peoples Democratic Party in a letter to the party’s leadership. At the party’s presidential primary, Obi reportedly complained of widespread delegate bribery and vote buying, noting the existence of a party clique working against him.
Obi’s business experience and prominence as a candidate who is not a member of either of Nigeria’s two major parties have prompted analogies to Emmanuel Macron’s successful 2017 campaign for the French presidency. Obi has praised Macron and was one of the government representatives that welcomed him when he visited Lagos.
peter obi Obidient movement
Younger people showed their support for Obi in the greatest numbers, participating in street marches, protests, and social media. In her first-ever endorsement of a presidential candidate, Aisha Yesufu, a well-known activist best known as the cofounder of the #BringBackOurGirls movement and a supporter of the End SARS campaign, endorsed Obi.
“Obidients” is a term used to describe young Obi’s campaign followers. Chikwurah Isiguzo made the following claims in an opinion piece for Business Day:
“Peter Obi’s ideology of thriftiness, economic production rather than ostentatious consumerism and waste, and resourceful management and investment in key sectors, for economic growth and development, are what the Obidients are drawn to,”
Commentators contend that Obi’s nomination for a third party appeals to young people who are unsatisfied with the two major parties, which has led to the “biggest political movement in recent Nigerian history.” With his main message of caution and responsibility, Obi has been able to turn his formerly little-known Labour Party into a potent third force in opposition to two political titans.
One Million Man Marches were organized by Obi’s supporters in a number of Nigerian cities, including Makurdi, Calabar, Lafia, Port Harcourt, Afikpo, Owerri, Enugu, Auchi, Abuja, Kano, Ilorin, Abakaliki, and Ibadan, prior to the start of the formal campaigning. Since they were organized by independent Obi supporters rather than by his internal team or political party, the marches were not a part of the official campaigns. Large crowds attended the marches.
In an interview with Channels TV, Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former minister of education in Nigeria, claimed that Nigerian women are more likely to support Obi’s possible presidency than males.
Selection of running mate
Doyin Okupe, a doctor, initially served as Obi’s temporary running mate until a serious contender could be chosen. Media sites stated that there was a push to have former Kaduna State senator Shehu Sani serve as Obi’s running companion before to the ultimate choice of a running mate.
Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Obi’s running mate, was introduced on July 8, 2022. Regarding his selection of the vice presidential contender, he said:
To safeguard, unify, and productively transform Nigeria is our right. And you can’t achieve it without having individuals on board who share your goals, ideologies, and level of readiness. So, with God’s blessing, I have the honor of introducing to you Senator Yusuf Datti Baba as Nigeria’s next vice president today.-Ahmed
peter obi Election results
On March 1, 2023, the results were made public. With 8.79 million votes, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress party was declared the winner. Obi won in Lagos and Abuja with 6.1 million votes and. Obi was now in third position, trailing the winner Bola Tinubu and the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar. Obi declared that he will dispute the election results, saying, “We won the election and we will prove it to Nigerians,” because to the numerous allegations, reports, and evidence of voter manipulation, disenfranchisement, and rigging.
peter obi Political positions
National security
Obi has publicly asked that the federal government reveal those guilty for funding terrorism and oil theft in Nigeria while running for office. 2020 saw Obi voice support for the social campaign End SARS, which opposes police violence.
Women’s issues
Obi claims that his gubernatorial team was predominately female and that he thinks women are less likely than men to be corrupt in public service. According to Obi, who claimed that he was elected instead of his wife, the office of the First Lady of Nigeria should be abolished. There was sufficient support from the Ministry of Women Affairs for women. “In Nigeria, we advocate continually greater women participation in leadership, nation-building, and society, which begins with unrestricted social inclusion, gender mainstreaming, and empowerment,” Obi said in observance of International African Women’s Day.
peter obi Controversy
Leaked phone records between Obi and Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, commonly known as Winners Chapel, one of the leaders of Nigeria’s largest Pentecostal church, were published by Peoples Gazette on April 1, 2023. Obi requested the bishop’s assistance in contacting Christians in the Southwestern region of Nigeria as well as those in the Northcentral states like Kwara, Kogi, and Niger in the leaked phone call, which occurred a few days before the Nigerian presidential election, in which he declared that the election was a religious war.
The news sparked intense debate across the nation, with some supporters of his campaign organization defending his stance and confirming the validity of the phone call while claiming that the phone record was a profound fake.
Obi tweeted on April 5, 2023, claiming the phone call that had been published was a hoax and threatening to sue the publication.
Obi featured in an interview on Arise TV in Abuja on May 1, 2023. He was questioned several times during the interview if the tape was real or not, and each time he replied that he was not a bigot of any particular tribe or religion. He didn’t want to say that the conversation didn’t happen. Instead, he emphasized that it was common for him and other politicians to ask religious leaders for support during elections.
Pandora Papers
The Premium Times reported on Obi’s involvement with offshore businesses in tax havens like the British Virgin Islands and Barbados as a result of the Pandora Papers leaks. With the Barbados-based Beauchamp Investments Limited and the UK-based Next International (UK) Limited being connected to Obi and his family, it appears that Obi created some shell companies in the 1990s. Before he held any governmental positions in Nigeria, this occurred. According to additional reports, Obi also enlisted Access International’s assistance in 2010 to help him establish and run Gabriella Investments Limited, a British Virgin Islands firm that bears her father’s name. Gabriella is Obi’s daughter.
A Belize-based shell corporation that received 50,000 shares of Gabriella Investments was also run by one of the directors. In 2017, Obi changed the company’s name to PMGG Investments Limited and established a trust called The Gabriella Settlement, which took over as the company’s sole shareholder. Obi did not currently hold any elected office.
According to a Premium Times story, Obi continued to serve as a director of Next International (UK) Limited while holding the office of governor of Anambra State, a clear breach of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. Obi emphasized that he resigned from all businesses before to becoming the governor of Anambra State in an interview with Arise News.
According to the investigation, Obi violated the Nigerian Constitution’s requirement that public officials declare all of their properties, assets, and liabilities by failing to disclose his offshore entities. Obi highlighted that the money in the accounts was accumulated during his time as a businessman and insisted that he did not breach any laws. In October 2021, the EFCC requested to speak with him after President Buhari ordered all anti-corruption organizations to look into people included in the leaks. However, Obi has never been the subject of a criminal investigation.
Peter Obi wife
The love of Peter Obi’s life, Margaret Brownson Obi, was married to him in 1992. Peter Obi is an Igbo man with fervent Catholic faith.
Peter Obi children
Peter Obi is a well-known politician in addition to being a devoted father. Two children, a girl and a boy, were born into his happy marriage. Oseloka Obi is the name of Peter Obi’s son, and Gabriella Obi is the name of his daughter.
peter obi Personal life
In 1992, Peter Obi wed Margaret Brownson Obi (formerly Usen). They are parents to a boy and a daughter. Obi is of Igbo heritage and a Catholic.
peter obi Social Media
- Twitter: @PeterObi
- Facebook: @PeterObiGregory
peter obi Awards and honors
Educational Institutions Attended
Previous Positions
Membership Of Professional Associations/Organizations
Membership Of Federal Government Committees
In my capacity as the Governor of Anambra State, I served as a member of:
Awards & Prizes
| Year | Award / Prizes | Event / Awader | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Golden Jubilee Award | Catholic Diocese of Onitsha | Won |
| 2014 | Golden Merit Award | Nigerian Library Association | Won |
| 2014 | Most Outstanding Igbo Man of the Decade | Champion Newspaper | Won |
| 2014 | Award for Outstanding Example in Leadership and Governance | The Voice Newspaper | Won |
| 2013 | Man of the Year | Silverbird | Won |
| 2012 | Man of the Year | Business Hallmark Newspaper | Won |
| 2012 | Golden Award on Prudence | Methodist Church of Nigeria | Won |
| 2012 | Leadership and Good Governance Award | Ezeife Leadership Foundation | Won |
| 2012 | Best Performing Governor on Immunization in South-East Nigeria | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | Won |
| 2011 | Zik Leadership Prize | Zik | Won |
| 2010 | Governor of the Year | West Africa ICT Development Award | Won |
| 2009 | Nigeria’s Most Trustworthy Governor | Champion Newspaper | Won |
| 2009 | Most Prudent Governor in Nigeria | Thisday Newspaper | Won |
| 2007 | Man of the Year | Sun Newspaper | Won |
Introduction Of Constitutional And Other Major Changes In Nigerian Politics
He was the first contender for governor in Nigeria to legally dispute his denial of the governorship election all the way to the end. He regained his mandate after winning in court.
He was the first governor in Nigeria to dispute his illegal impeachment in court, and the courts restored him to office.
When INEC permitted elections to take place in Anambra State when his tenure had not yet ended, he was the first governor in Nigeria to request an interpretation of governors’ terms of office. The election that had already taken place was canceled, and he was given the opportunity to complete his term.
Nearly 40 years after the foundation of the State, he was the first governor to hold office for a second term in both the new and old Anambra States.
He was the first Governor to be named a Special Adviser to the President while still in office.
He was chosen to join the Presidential Economic Management Team as the first governor who was still in office.
While still in office, he was one of the first governors to receive a national award in 2011.
He was twice chosen as Vice-Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum despite being the only Governor whose political party was in power in just one State.
He was elected by the other 4 PDP Governors to serve as their Chairman for 8 years, as opposed to the customary one year, despite being the only non-PDP Governor in the South-East (a region made up of 5 States).
Fundamental Achievements As Governor Of Anambra State (Partial Listing)
The first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to implement Sub-Sovereign Wealth savings was Anambra. When many other governors were leaving behind enormous debts, I left behind investments worth the equivalent of $500 million dollars, together with local and international currencies and $156 million in bonds denominated in the US dollar.
For the first time in Anambra State’s history, ambassadors and high commissioners from illustrious nations paid the state visits, including those from the United States, Britain, Russia, European Union, South Africa, Belgium, Israel, the Netherlands, and Canada, among others. Before I became governor, Anambra was essentially a pariah state, shunned by the diplomatic community and international aid organizations.
Development partners that were previously absent from Anambra State, such as UNDP, UNICEF, the World Bank, DFID, the European Union, etc., began cooperating with the state. Anambra has continuously been rated as one of the states with the best commitment to good governance reforms and development partnerships.
By implementing their programs in Nigeria, the Millennium Development Goals Office (OSSAP-MDGs) and the UNDP recognized him as the country’s best governor.
Anambra was deemed to be the least indebted state in Nigeria by the Nigerian Debt Management Office (DMO).
The State under him did not borrow money or issue bonds to fund its numerous projects, despite having obvious and quantifiable successes in a number of different industries.
Anambra State was ranked as the nation’s most financially sound state by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The State moved from 24th place out of 36 States to Number One in the National Examination Council (NECO) and West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations for three consecutive years after a groundbreaking return of schools to their original owners, Voluntary Agencies (Churches), on January 1, 2009, and subsequent partnership with the Agencies in Education. This prompted the World Bank to conduct a research on this ground-breaking alliance and amazing success, which was overseen by renowned Prof. Paul Collier of Oxford University.
In the area of health, the State and the Churches also formed a strategic alliance. Because of the services provided by healthcare facilities owned by voluntary organizations, this symbiotic connection significantly improved the quality of healthcare, and the state reinstated grants to the organizations and made more than $50 million in various forms of support accessible to them.
His Government provided funding for the development of the Health sector through collaboration with the Church.
- Iyienu Hospital, Ogidi.
- Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala.
- St Charles Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha.
- Holy Rosary Hospital, Waterside, Onitsha.
- St. Joseph Hospital, Adazi-Nnukwu.
Additionally, his administration erected the Joseph Nwilo Heart Centre in St. Joseph, Adazi-Nnukwu, where cardiac procedures are presently carried out.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded his government $1,000,000 for the South-East region’s top immunization performance. They used the funds, together with other assistance from our government, to collaborate with the churches to construct 10 Maternal and Child Care Centers throughout the State, with a focus on rural areas.
More than 30,000 computers, including 22,500 from HP, were purchased and distributed to secondary schools for the first time by the State. The deployment, according to Mr. Fabrice Campoy, Managing Director for Personal Systems Group HP Inc., was the largest of its kind in the Middle East and Africa.
More than 500 secondary schools in Anambra State now have Microsoft Academies, the largest deployment of its kind in Africa to date, according to Mr. Ken Span, the head of Microsoft in Nigeria.
More than 500 secondary schools received Internet connectivity from the government, which the CEO of Galaxy Backbone (Mr. Gerald Ilukwe) described as unparalleled in the nation.
Our government funded secondary schools in the State with more than 700 buses.
All around the State, schools had access to boreholes.
In each of the 177 localities in the State, numerous classrooms were constructed.
A number of businesses were lured to the Anambra State to develop their facilities as part of the efforts to revive the state’s economy. A prime example is SABMiller, the second-largest brewery in the world, which constructed its first greenfield facility in the State and is currently one of its most successful operations worldwide.
The government of our country backed and promoted a number of additional businesses that followed the SABMiller model; an excellent example is INNOSON Motor Manufacturing Company, from whom our government purchased more than 1,000 automobiles.
Anambra State began working closely with reputable government security organizations (the Police, Army, Navy, Department of State Security, Civil Defense, among others) for the first time, providing them with a range of support options, including more than 500 security vehicles. Abubakar Mohammed, the former IG of Police, praised Anambra State for not having experienced any bank robberies during my final three years in office due to the state’s outstanding improvement in security.
Anambra State gave at least one security vehicle to each of the 177 communities in the State, as well as to other businesses and institutions including marketplaces and churches, to further increase security.
The first state-owned teaching hospital was created and constructed by his administration, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu teaching Hospital, in Awka.
The planned development of the ChukwuemekaOdumegwu-Ojukwu University’s Igbariam Campus was started by his government, which included fencing, building internal roads, electrifying the campus, and constructing the Faculty of Law, Auditorium, Administrative Block, Faculty of Agriculture, and Management Building, among other things.
His administration helped Anambra State secure World Bank funding for the National Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), which addresses erosion.
In order to effectively implement our policies for reducing poverty, his government was the first to map out poverty in Nigeria.
For the first time, his government conducted the aerial mapping of Awka and the creation of Structure Plans for the capital city of Awka, Onitsha, and Nnewi.
Anambra State became an oil-producing State under his leadership and with the assistance of his government.
To consolidate the State Government Ministries that had previously been dispersed around the State, he constructed the first Secretariat Complex.
The “Three Arms Zone,” which consists of the Government House/Governor’s Lodge, the Legislative Building/Speakers Residence, and the Judiciary Building with the Chief Judge’s Residence, was put into development by his government.
When we started in 2006, no health facility in Anambra State had received the proper accreditation; at the end of his administration in 2014, more than twelve (12) health institutions, including two hospitals, had obtained accreditation.
Through the State Peer assessment Mechanism (SPRM), a project of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum in conjunction with the DFID, Anambra State was the first to undergo national peer assessment, which examined State Governments for good governance.
Net Worth
Peter Obi is a wealthy politician as well as a prosperous businessman. He spent some time working in business before entering politics. His net worth is thought to be around $10 million.
Where is Peter Obi from?
Peter Obi was born on July 19, 1961, into a devoted Christian household in Onitsha, Anambra State. His secondary school education was finished at Christ the King College in Onitsha. He received a B.A. after being accepted to the University of Nigeria in 1980.
What business does Peter Obi do for a living?
One of Peter Obi’s numerous retail operations is a network of supermarkets owned by his family, which runs in Lagos, Anambra, and Abuja. Among other financial services companies, he has investments in banks and stock brokerages.
What happened to Peter Obi of Nigeria?
All of that changed in May 2022 when Peter Obi, the former governor of the state of Anambra in the southeast, decided to leave the PDP after believing a deal had been made that would eventually sideline him in favor of former vice president and steadfast PDP contender Atiku Abubakar.
Who is the richest between Peter Obi and Tinubu?
Peter Obi’s net worth is currently estimated at $10 million, whereas Tinubu’s net worth is $4 billion. There is a significant difference in both parties’ net worth. However, throughout his tenure in office, Peter Obi has never been connected to any financial problems.
How rich is Mr Peter Obi?
Peter Obi’s net worth, according to https://naijanetworth.com.ng/peter-obi-net-worth-and-biography, is believed to be over $230,000 USD (around 96 billion Naira). Peter Obi is one of Nigeria’s most well-known and wealthy politicians.
