For a lot of Nigerians, especially the teeming youth population, Peter Gregory Obi, is the quintessential leader waiting to be elected as president during the much-awaited 2023 general elections.
Obi, who is the Labour Party’s presidential candidate turns 61 years on Tuesday, July 19, and a revisit of facts about this politician whose dreams and aspirations capture the collective imagination of some citizens is fitting on such a day.
Date and place of birth
Obi was born on July 19, 1961, in Onitsha, Anambra state.
Education
He attended Christ the King College in his hometown to get his secondary education.
Then, he moved on to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he studied Philosophy from 1980 to 1984, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree with honours.
Obi attended multiple educational institutions focusing mostly on business. He took the Chief Executive Program at Lagos Business School, took courses on Mid to Mid Marketing and Changing the Game at Harvard Business School, went to the London School of Economics to study Business Policy and Financial Management and many more.
He also attended Cambridge and Oxford’s business schools for Advanced Leadership Programs.
Businesses
As for Peter Obi’s businesses, he is the chairperson of many a company. Over the years, he held this position at Fidelity Bank, Future Views Securities, Paymaster Nigeria, and Next International.
He was Fidelity Bank’s youngest chairperson and director at Guardian Express Bank, Charms Nigeria, Emerging Capital, and Card Centre.
Politics
In 2003, he participated in the gubernatorial election of Anambra State. Back then, Obi’s party was the All Progressives Grand Alliance.
He lost to Chris Ngige from the PDP, but that did not stop Obi. It took three years to overturn the win of Ngige, so Obi became governor in March 2006. His term lasted for a little over half a year, as he was impeached in November 2006.
He returned to his post in February 2007. Once again, his time as Anambra State governor did not last long, as in 2007, Andy Uba won the elections.
Obi contended this once more, because instead of four years in office he only had a little more than a year. The Supreme Court listened and nullified the elections, reinstating Obi to his postion as governor. After reaching the end of his tenure in 2010, Obi was re-elected for the second term, which lasted until 2014.
Willie Obiano succeeded him. He was a Honorary Special Adviser to the President on Finance and member of the Presidential Economic Management Team during Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency. He was also a member of multiple Federal Government committees. There have been rumours that he was going to run alongside Atiku Abubakar, but Obi dispelled the rumours.
In 2022, Peter Obi defected from the PDP and joined the Labour Party to become the presidential candidate.
Obi’s running mate ahead of the 2023 presidential election is Datti Baba-Ahmed who is an economist and politician.
Achievements
Sun Newspaper’s Man of the Year (2007)
Thisday Newspaper’s Most Prudent Governor in Nigeria (2009)
Champion 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 South-East 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 Newspaper’s Award for Outstanding Example in Leadership and Governance
(2014) Champion Newspaper’s Most Outstanding Igbo Man of the Decade
(2014) Nigerian Library Association’s Golden Merit Award
(2014)
Family, wife, children
Back in 1992, Peter Obi married his wife Margaret Brownson Usen, and they have been together ever since.
During the 25 years of marriage, the two seemingly have not had any significant quarrels, despite the rumours that circulated in the media a few years back.
Mrs. Obi herself came out to refute them, claiming that her union with Peter is as strong as ever. Obi and his wife have two children.
Their firstborn, Gabriella Nwamaka Frances Obi, was born soon after her parents tied the knot. However, not much is known about her apart from the fact that she is Obi’s daughter.
His son, Gregory Peter Oseloka Obi, was born two years after his older sister. Taking into account that he is in his early twenties now, it is not surprising that we have not heard about him much as of now.
Obi’s children perhaps do not like putting their lives on display on social media.
