Birth and Early life
The full name of Peter Obi is Peter Gregory Obi and he is also known as “Okwute” meaning the Rock. He was born in Onitsha, Anambra state in the southeastern region of Nigeria. Peter Obi is a catholic church papal knight of the order of St. Sylvester and he hails from Agulu, Anaocha local government area of Anambra state.
Tribe of Peter Obi
Peter Obi was born into a large Igbo catholic family of Mr. and Mrs. Obi, so he belongs to the Igbo tribe.
Educational Status
Peter went to christ the king college, Onitsha and he did his West Africa Secondary school certificate (WASSC). from there he went to the university of Nigeria Nsukka in 1980 where he obtained his bachelor of Art (BA) in philosophy in the year 1984.
He went to Lagos business school Nigeria where he did his chief executive program. After that, he went to Harvard business school, in Boston, USA, and did his two programs (Mid to Mid marketing).
After all this knowledge, he attended many institutions which include:-
- London School of Economics (financial management /business policy)
- Columbia Business School, New York USA (marketing management).
- Institute for Management Development, Switzerland where he obtained two certificates in the senior executive program and Breakthrough program for CEOs.
- Kellogg Graduate school of Management, USA (Advanced Executive program).
- Kellogg school of management USA (global advanced management program).
- Oxford University:- Said Business school (Advanced Management & Leadership program).
- Cambridge University:-George Business school (Advanced Leadership program).
Marriage and Children
Peter Obi married his wife Margaret Brownson Usen in 1992 and they are blessed with two children a girl named Gabrielle Nwamaka Frances Obi and a boy named Gregory Peter Oseloka Obi.
Activities Before Politics
Peter Obi is a businessman who started his life as a trader, though this will not surprise people because he was from a trading family.
After that, he jumped into the corporate world where he served in many positions for different companies.
Some positions he held before politics.
-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 Plc
-Former Director: Guardian Express Bank Plc.
-Former Director: Chams Nigeria plc
-Former Director: Emerging Capital Ltd
-Former Director: Card Center Plc.
Some organizations /Associations he serves as a member
-Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG)
-Nigerian Chartered Institute of Bankers.
-British Institute of Directors (IOD).
Peter Obi’s Political Career
He started being popular in his political activities after he contested as the governorship candidate of Anambra state in the party All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2003.
He lost the election to Chris Ngige of the People Democratic Party (PDP) where he challenged his opponent’s victory in court and he was declared the actual winner by the court of appeal on 15th March 2006.
His resumption and impeachment
Obi resumed the governor’s office two days after the judgments, that was on 17th March 2006 and he was impeached after 7 months of resumption by the house of assembly on 2nd November 2006 where he was replaced by his deputy, Virginia Etiaba. As a result of that, she became the first-ever female governor in Nigeria’s history.
Obi went back to the court of appeals and challenged his impeachment and he was reinstated by on the 9th February 2007 by the court of appeals, Enugu chapter. His deputy handed over the seat to him after the court judgment.
Obi left the governor’s office on 29th May 2007 after the General election that was won by Andy Uba, Obi went back to the court and claimed that his tenure of 2003 elections did not finish because he started ruling in March 2006 after the court sitting, and as a result of that, he has to complete his four years tenure.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria took his side on the 14th of June and ordered Uba to leave the office for him. He served as first-term governor until March 2010.
Second Tenure
Peter Obi won the election again on 7th February 2010 as a second-term governor of Anambra state where he defeat professor Charles Soludo, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
He served his second term of governorship until 17th March 2014 when he handed over to Willie Obiano.
Peter Obi left the APGA party on 7th October 2014 and joined the PDP. He was appointed as the chairman of the Nigerian Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) by President Goodluck Jonathan after winning the presidential election.
Vice Presidency
On 12th October 2018, he was assigned as the presidential running mate of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party where they lost to Muhammad Buhari of All Progressive Congress (APC).
After losing the election, Peter Obi left withdraw from contesting the presidential primary election and left the peoples Democratic Party.
He joined the Labour Party 2 days after his resignation from PDP and he contested for the presidential seat in the Labour Party (LP) where other candidates like Pat Utomi left the contest for him.
His appointments while serving as the governor of Anambra state include:
-Federal Government Committee on Minimum wage.
-Federal Government Committee on Negotiations with Labour Subsidy.
-Federal Government Committee on Mass Transit.
-Federal Government Committee on National Resources.
-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.
Awards
-Sun Newspaper Man of the year (2007).
-This day Newspaper’s most prudent Governor in Nigeria (2009).
-Champion’s Newspaper’s Nigeria’s most trustworthy Governor (2009).
-West Africa ICT Development award for Governor of the year (2010).
-Zik Leadership prize (2011).
-Bill & Melinda Gates foundation’s best performing Governor on immunization in southeast Nigeria (2012).
-Ezeife leadership Foundation’s leadership and good governance award (2012).
-Methodist Church of Nigeria’s Golden award on prudence(2012): Business Hallmark Newspaper’s Man of the year (2012).
-Silverbird’s Man of the year (2013).
-The voice Newspapers’ awards for outstanding Examples in leadership and governance (2014).
-Champion Newspaper’s most outstanding Igbo Man of the decade (2014).
-Nigerian Library Association’s Golden Merit Award (2014).
-Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Sylvester Pope and Martyr (2014).
-Catholic Diocese of Onitsha’s Golden Jubilee Awards (2015).
-This days Governor of the decade (2020).
