Meet Peter Obi, Nigeria’s Potential President

On the 24th of March, 2022, the former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi officially declared his interest in the 2023 presidential election. He has since then garnered the support of the youths and intellectuals in the countries due to his extraordinary performance as the governor of Anambra State (2006-2014). But who exactly is Peter Obi and how well did he perform during his tenure as a political office holder?

Bio Data

Peter Obi’s Biography

Peter Obi was born on 19 July 1961 in Onitsha, Anambra State. He was the fourth son of a devout Catholic and entrepreneur mum and dad, who ran a popular supermarket in Onitsha, the commercial hub of the Southeast.

He attended Christ the King College, Onitsha, for his secondary school education and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he graduated with a degree in philosophy in 1984.

Obi also attended the Lagos Business School, where he undertook a course designed for chief executives; Oxford University Business School, for an Advanced Management and Leadership course and the London School of Economics,  where he studied a course in Financial Management and Business Policy.

He is an alumnus of Cambridge University Business School, Harvard Business School,  Columbia southwest school and the Kellogg graduate school and the Institute for management development in Switzerland.

Before venturing into politics, Peter Obi took to the corporate world, where he held high profile positions in several private establishments.

He was the former chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission, Next International Nigeria Ltd, Guardian Express Mortgage Bank Ltd, Guardian Express Bank Plc, Future View Securities Ltd, Paymaster Nigeria Ltd, Chams Nigeria Ltd, Data Corp Ltd Card Centre Ltd and Fidelity Bank Plc.

Obi was a member of many professional bodies, including the Nigerian Economic Summit Group; the Nigerian Chartered Institute of Bankers and a member of the British Institute of Directors.

Political Career

Peter Obi began his political career in 2003 contesting the Anambra Governorship election against Chris Ngige of the People’s Democratic Party, who 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. He was however impeached by the State House of Assembly after seven months in office. Obi was replaced by his deputy Governor, Virginia Etiaba, following the impeachment. He successfully challenged his impeachment and was re-instated as the governor on 9 February 2007 by the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu.

Peter Obi was forced to leave the office again, on the 29 May 2007 following the general elections, which Andy Uba won. 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.

On 7 February 2010, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Peter Obi the winner of the 2010 Anambra State gubernatorial election, where he defeated Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, former governor, CBN. This election victory gave Governor Obi an additional four years as the governor of Anambra State. On 17 March 2014 Peter Obi served out his second term and handed over the governorship to Willie Obiano.

Peter Obi’s Achievements as the Governor of Anambra State

Despite several disruptions in Peter Obi’s administration, he was able to set some milestone achievements in his tenure, He was recognised as the best governor by the Millennium Development Goals Office (OSSAP-MDGs) and the UNDP in the implementation of their programmes in Nigeria.

Under his administration, the Nigerian Debt Management Office (DMO) rated Anambra as the least indebted state in Nigeria. In spite of visible and measurable achievements recorded in various sectors, the State under him did not borrow or raise bonds for her various projects. The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria also rated Anambra State as the most financially stable state in the country.

The State also entered into a strategic partnership with the Churches in the Health sector. This symbiotic relationship resulted in a tremendous boost to health care because of the services offered by health institutions owned by Voluntary Agencies.

His administration won the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (1 Million dollars) as the best-performing state in immunisation in the South-East. The fund was used to build 10 Maternal and Child Care Centres across the State, particularly in rural communities.

Presidential Aspiration

Prior to Peter Obi’s presidential interest, he was named as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Candidate in the Nigerian 2019 Presidential elections. The party however lost to President Buhari’s APC

As earlier stated, Peter Obi declared his interest to run for the Presidency in 2023, while addressing traditional rulers and Presidents-General of the 181 communities in the state at Government House, Awka.

“I have come to inform you of my intention to contest the 2023 presidential election. I need your support. 

“After a careful study of the country, I noticed that we’re too divided and I promise to lead a united and secure Nigeria to be able to attract foreign investments.

“The Nigeria I will lead will create jobs, boost our economy, and improve education. If I have the opportunity, I will turn around the country for the better,” he said.

Peter Obi is considered one of the top candidates in the 2023 presidential elections, due to his past records and achievements and political influence in the south-east and among the youths in the country.