Peter Gregory Onwubuasi Obi CON (Igbo: [òbí] ; born 19 July 1961) is a Nigerian politician, statesman, political activist and businessman who served as the ⓘGovernor of Anambra State from June 2007 to March 2014. He has previously held the position from March to November 2006 and February to May 2007. Obi was the Labour Party candidate for President of Nigeria in the 2023 presidential election, after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Peter Obi | |
---|---|
Governor of Anambra State | |
In office 14 June 2007 – 17 March 2014 | |
Preceded by | Andy Uba |
Succeeded by | Willie Obiano |
In office 9 February 2007 – 29 May 2007 | |
Preceded by | Virginia Etiaba |
Succeeded by | Andy Uba |
In office 17 March 2006 – 2 November 2006 | |
Preceded by | Chris Ngige |
Succeeded by | Virginia Etiaba |
Personal details | |
Born | Peter Gregory Obi 19 July 1961 Onitsha, Eastern Region, Nigeria (now in Anambra State, Nigeria) |
Political party | Labour Party (since 2022) |
Other political affiliations | All Progressives Grand Alliance (2002–2014) People's Democratic Party (before 2002; 2014–2022) |
Spouse |
Margaret Brownson Obi (née Usen)
(m. 1992) |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | |
Occupation |
|
Born in Onitsha, Anambra State. Obi graduated from Christ the King College, Onitsha, where he finished his secondary education. He proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1984 for his tertiary education. Afterwards, Obi contested for Governor of Anambra State in 2003 under the flagship of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), but was defeated by Chris Ngige. In 2006, the election of Ngige was nullified; declaring Obi, the winner of the 2003 election, and he assumed office in March 2006. Shortly, he was impeached in November of same year by the Anambra State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker Mike Balonwu. However, his impeachment was overturned and he returned to office in February 2007. Obi was later removed from office after the 2007 Anambra State gubernatorial election, but the judiciary again intervened by ruling that "he should be allowed to complete a full four-year term". In 2010, he was re-elected into his second term as the governor of the state.
After leaving office in 2014, he decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party. In 2019, he was selected as the PDP vice presidential candidate in the presidential election running along Atiku Abubakar–the presidential candidate, but they lost to Muhammadu Buhari and vice president Yemi Osinbajo. In 2022, Obi ran for president, initially under PDP, but defected to Labour Party in May 2022 to obtain its nomination. Obi's presidential campaign has been described as populist and performed well among youth, who have been nicknamed "Obidients". In the the general election, he lost to Bola Tinubu. The Labour Party, along with several other opposition parties, sued to overturn Tinubu's victory, alleging voting irregularities. Their arguments were rejected in court.
Obi was born on 19 July 1961 in Onitsha, Anambra State, part of Southeastern Nigeria. He was born to devout Christian family of Igbo descent.[1][2] Obi attended Christ the King College, Onitsha, where he completed his secondary school education. In 1980, he was admitted to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he graduated with B.A. (Hons) in Philosophy in 1984.[3]
Obi is a businessman who has held several leadership positions in private establishments in Nigeria. He has served Next International Nigeria Ltd. He became the Chairman and Director of Guardian Express Mortgage Bank, Guardian Express Bank Plc, Future View Securities Ltd, Paymaster Nigeria Ltd, Chams Nigeria Ltd, Data Corp Ltd and Card Centre Ltd. He was regarded as the youngest chairman of Fidelity Bank Nigeria.[4][5]
In 2003, Obi contested for the Anambra State Governorship Election as the primary candidate for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); and his counterpart Chris Ngige of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), was declared the winner by the INEC.[6][7]
After three years of litigation, Ngige's victory was overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2006, and Obi took back the office on 17 March 2006. After seven months of leadership, he was impeached by the Anambra State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker Mike Balonwu,and was replaced by Virginia Etiaba who was his deputy. Thus, making her the first female governor in Nigeria.[8][9] 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.[10][11]
After the May 2007 declaration of Andy Uba by the electoral body, as the winner following the General Election. Obi left the office, but returned with charges contending that the four-year tenure he had won in the 2003 election only started to run when he took office in March 2006. On 14 June 2007, 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.[12]
On 7 February 2010, INEC declared Obi the winner of the 2010 Anambra State Gubernatorial election. He defeated Charles Soludo, former governor of CBN (and incumbent governor of Anambra State).[13][14][15][16]
On 17 March 2014, Obi's tenure ended after the election winner, Willie Obiano was inaugurated and assumed office.[17] After leaving office in 2014, Obi gained new status as "an advocate for good governance" and national political figure after decamping to the Peoples Democratic Party in 2014.[18][19][20]
After the 2015 General Election, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Obi as the chairman of the Nigerian Security and Exchange Commission (SEC).[21][22][23]
On 12 October 2018, Obi was named as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party's Presidential Candidate in the 2019 presidential election. Obi opposed proposals for a standardized national minimum wage, arguing that different states should have different minimum wages.[24] The Abubakar/Obi ticket came second.[25]
On 24 March 2022, Obi declared his intention to run for President of Nigeria under the party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Afterwards, he pulled out, announcing that he will be running under the Labour Party instead.[26][27] According to the Nigerian newspaper Peoples Gazette, Peter Obi wrote to the leaders of PDP on 24 May to resign his membership.[28] He reportedly complained of massive bribing of delegates and vote buying during the party's presidential primary, citing the existence of a party clique collaborating against him.[29]
Obi's business background and status as a major candidate unaffiliated with either of Nigeria's two main parties has drawn comparisons with Emmanuel Macron's successful 2017 French presidential candidacy.[30][31][32][33] Obi has expressed admiration for the French President, Emmanuel Macron and was among the officials who received him during his visit to Lagos.[34]
During the 2023 Presidential election campaign, people under 30 proved to be some of the biggest Obi's supporters, showing their support via social media, protests and street marches.[35][36][37][38][39] Aisha Yesufu, a prominent activist noted as the cofounder of the #BringBackOurGirls movement and a supporter of the End SARS campaign, endorsed Obi in her first-ever endorsement of a presidential candidate.[40]
Young supporters of Obi's campaign were generally called the "Obidients", which was coined from his name "Obi".[38] In a Business Day opinion article, Chikwurah Isiguzo argued that:[41]
[The Obidients] are attracted by Peter Obi's ideology of frugality, economic production rather than the ostentatious consumerism and waste, and resourceful management and investment in key sectors, for economic growth and development.
Political commentators have generally argued that Obi's third party candidacy appeals to young voters dissatisfied with the two major parties, which has resulted in the "biggest political movement in recent Nigerian history."[42] With his core message of prudence and accountability, Obi has managed to gain the backing of voters for his previously largely unknown Labour Party into a strong third force against two political heavyweights, APC and PDP.[43] Before campaigns were officially kicked off, Obi's supporters held a series of One Million Man Marches in several Nigerian cities including Makurdi, Calabar, Lafia, Port Harcourt, Afikpo, Owerri, Enugu, Auchi, Abuja, Kano, Ilorin, Abakaliki and Ibadan. The marches were not part of the official campaigns; as they were led by volunteer Obi supporters and not Obi's in-house team or political party. The marches experienced massive turnouts.[44][45][46][47]
Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education in Nigeria, stated that Nigerian women are more inclined toward the potential presidency of Obi[clarification needed] in an interview with Channels TV.[48]
Physician Doyin Okupe initially was the temporary running mate of Obi until a substantive candidate could be selected.[49] In the run-up to the final selection of a running mate, media outlets reported that there was an effort to have former Senator Shehu Sani of Kaduna State serve as Obi's running mate.[50]
On 8 July 2022, Obi unveiled his running mate, Senator for Kaduna North Senatorial District Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed. Speaking on his choice of the vice presidential candidate, he stated:
This is our right to secure, unite and make Nigeria productive. And you can't do that without having people who have similar visions, ideas and are prepared for the task. So, I have the honour today to present to you, God willing, Nigeria's next vice president in the person of Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed.[51]
The results were announced on 1 March 2023. Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress party, was named the president-elect with 8.79 million votes. Obi received 6.1 million votes, and won in both Lagos and Abuja.[52] This put Obi in third place behind winner Bola Tinubu and People's Democratic Party nominee Atiku Abubakar. Due to the elections being rife with several allegations, reports and evidence of voter manipulation, disenfranchisement and rigging,[53] Obi announced that he would challenge the election results, stating that, "We won the election and we will prove it to Nigerians".[54][55]
As a candidate, Obi has publicly demanded that the federal government name individuals responsible for financing terrorism and oil theft in Nigeria.[56] In 2020, Obi expressed support for the End SARS social movement against police brutality.[57]
Obi is a feminist, and has stated that "he believes women are less prone to corruption in public office than men, and his gubernatorial staff were predominantly women".[58] He has criticized the term, being the First Lady of Nigeria, stating
It was not my wife that was voted in but me. The Ministry of Women Affairs is enough to take good care of women.
— [59]
In commemoration of International African Women's Day, Obi stated: "In Nigeria, we advocate continually greater women participation in leadership, nation-building and society, which begins with unfettered social inclusion, gender mainstreaming and empowerment."[60]
Unconfirmed reports on 1 April 2023, Peoples Gazette published leaked phone conservation between Obi and one of the leaders of Nigeria's biggest Pentecostal Church, Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners Chapel. In the leaked phone call, which took place a few days before the Nigerian presidential election, Obi declared that the election was a religious war and solicited the support of the bishop to reach out to Christians across the Southwestern part of Nigeria and those in the Northcentral states like Kwara, Kogi and Niger.[61][62]
The report generated widespread controversy across the country, with some members of his campaign organisation confirming the authenticity of the phone call and defending his position, while other members declared the phone record as a deep fake.[63][64]
On 5 April 2023, Obi tweeted that the published phone call was fake and threatened to take legal action against the newspaper.[65]
On 1 May 2023, Obi appeared in an interview on Arise TV in Abuja. During the interview, he was repeatedly asked if the audio was fake or authentic, and he repeatedly responded that he was not a tribal or religious bigot. He declined to state that the conversation did not take place. Instead, he emphasised that it was normal for him and other politicians to solicit support from religious leaders during elections.[66]
Selected awards:[67]
As a result of the Pandora Papers leaks, the Premium Times reported on Obi's involvement in offshore companies in tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands and Barbados.[78] Obi appeared to have made shell companies in the 1990s with the Barbados-based Beauchamp Investments Limited and UK-based Next International (UK) Limited being tied back to Obi and his family.[79] This was before he held any political office in Nigeria. Further reporting showed that in 2010 as well, Obi had Access International help him set up and manage Gabriella Investments Limited, a company in the British Virgin Islands named after Obi's daughter. One of the directors was also the director of a Belize-based shell company that was issued 50,000 shares in Gabriella Investments. In 2017, Obi reorganized the company under the name PMGG Investments Limited and created a trust named The Gabriella Settlement, which became the sole shareholder in PMGG Investments Limited. Obi was not holding any political position at this time.
A Premium Times report claimed that Obi remained as director of Next International (UK) Limited while serving as Governor of Anambra State, which is in direct violation of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. In an interview with Arise News, Obi clarified that he resigned from all companies before taking office as Governor of Anambra State.[80]
The report also claimed that Obi's non-declaration of his offshore companies broke the Nigerian Constitution's provision that require public officers to declare all their properties, assets, and liabilities.[79] Obi stated that he did not break any laws and clarified that the accounts' money was accrued from his time as a businessman. The EFCC invited him for questioning in October 2021, after President Buhari directed all anti-corruption agencies to investigate those named in the leaks.[81][82][83]
Obi is a practicing Catholic.[1][84] He is married to Margaret Brownson Obi (née Usen) since 1992 and they have two children.[85]
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As an ex-banker who wants to smash through the old two-party system and reinvigorate his country with a technocratic style of politics, Obi has prompted comparisons to French President Emmanuel Macron – who described himself as "neither left nor right", created his own political party and swept aside the traditional vehicles of social democracy and conservatism when he took the Élysée Palace and then won a crushing parliamentary majority in 2017.
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