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Peter Obi: Biography, Age, Wife, Children, Source of Wealth and Controversies

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Who is Peter Obi?

Peter Obi fondly called ‘Okwute’ (Rock) is a Nigerian politician and businessman who was impeached as the governor of Anambra state in 2006, but the impeachment was overturned in 2007.

His full name is Peter Gregory Obi, and he was born at Onitsha in Anambra, a state located in the southeastern region of Nigeria.

He hails from Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra state.

Obi is a Catholic Church Papal Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester.

Peter Obi parents

There is no publicly available information about Mr. and Mrs. Obi, Peter Obi’s parents at the time of publication. Still, there are reports that he was born into a large Igbo Catholic family.

Siblings

Peter Obi, the second born of the family, has two brothers and two sisters as siblings. They are:

  • Bibiana Adani (elder sister)
  • Fabian Chinwuba Obi
  • Josephat Ndibe Obi
  • Martina Obi.

Bibiana Adani, his elder sister, is late. She reportedly died from an undisclosed ailment and was buried at her husband’s place in 2018 at Adani Village, Ukana, in Enugu state.

According to some sources, Fabian Obi, Peter’s younger brother, is an ordained Reverend Father. On October 2020, he was appointed the acting rector of the Blessed Iwene Tansi Major Seminary in Onitsha.

Ndibe Obi, his other younger brother, reportedly manages one of Peter Obi’s companies.

Details about the youngest sibling and sister alive, Martina Obi, are not publicly available.

Peter Obi age

Peter was born on the 19th of July, 1961. He is currently 60 years old but expected to be 61-year-old by July, 2022.

As regards zodiac sign, people born on July 19th are known as cancer representatives. According Astrology Zodiac Sign, they are always born with a talent.

Some of the positive traits of this people includes: Dreamy, idealistic, missionaries with a higher cause. They also believe in the goodness in others and carry talents that are to be shared with the world.

Education

Peter Obi attended Christ the King College, Onitsha where obtained his West Africa Secondary School Certificate (WASC). He later gained admission into University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1980 and bagged Bachelor of Art (BA) in Philosophy in 1984.

Peter Obi attended Lagos business school, Nigeria where he did his Chief Executive Program. He also attended Harvard business school, Boston, USA, where he did two programs (Mid to Mid Marketing).

Other schools he had attended include:

  • London School of Economics (Financial Mgmt/Business Policy)
  • Columbia Business School, New York, U.S.A. (Marketing Management)
  • Institute for management development, Switzerland where he also got two certificates in Senior Executive Program and Break-Through Program for CEOs.
  • Kellogg Graduate School of Management, U.S.A. (Advanced Executive Program)
  • Kellogg School of Management U.S.A. (Global Advanced Mgmt Program)
  • Oxford University: Said Business School, (Advanced Mgmt& Leadership Program)
  • Cambridge University: George Business School (Advanced Leadership Program)

Career before politics

As noted earlier, Peter Obi is a businessman. He started his life as a trader, a path which is not surprising since he was born into a trading family.

He later ventured into the corporate world and has served in numerous positions for different companies.

Some of Peter Obi’s pre-political positions include:

  • 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) Ltd
  • Former Director: Guardian Express Bank Plc.
  • Former Director: Chams Nigeria Plc.
  • Former Director: Emerging Capital Ltd
  • Former Director: Card Centre Plc.

Obi’s Membership of Professional Associations/Organisations:

  • Member, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG)
  • Member, Nigerian Chartered Institute of Bankers
  • Member, British Institute of Directors (IOD)

Political career

Obi political career came into the limelight when he contested for the governorship of Anambra state as the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) political party in 2003.

Drags Ngige and INEC to court

His opponent, Chris Ngige of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Ngige is the Labour Minister under Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Peter challenged Ngige’s victory in court and was declared the actual winner by the Court of Appeal on 15 March 2006.

Resumed office; impeached 7 months later

He resumed office on 17 March 2006. On 2 November 2006 (after seven months in office), he was impeached by the State House of Assembly. He was replaced by his deputy, Virginia Etiaba, making her the first-ever female governor in Nigeria’s history.

Obi returned to court, challenged the impeachment, and was reinstated on the 9th of February 2007 by the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu.

Etiaba handed power back to him after the court ruling.

Challenged Andy Uba’s emergence as governor

In May 29, 2007, Obi vacated the governor’s office after Andy Uba won the general elections. Meanwhile, he fought the election of Uba in court, claiming the four-year tenure he had won in 2003 only started counting when he assumed office in March 2006. and should be allowed to complete his four-year tenure.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on the 14th of June, sided with him and ordered Uba to vacate office for Obi. He served as a first-term governor until March 2010.

Second-term governor of Anambra state

Peter Obi was declared winner of the 2010 Anambra governorship election on the 7th of February, 2010, after defeating the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Charles Soludo.

He served his second term as governor of Anambra state until 17 March 2014 after which he handed over to Willie Obiano.

Obiano also served two-term and handed over to Charles Soludo who won the gubernatorial election on 10 November, 2021.

Peter Obi officially dumped APGA on October 7, 2014, to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

After winning the 2015 Presidetial Election, Goodluck Jonathan appointed Peter Obi as the Nigerian Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman.

Vice Presidency

Peter Obi was named the presidential running mate of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party on October 12, 2018.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, won the election.

Presidential ambition

Peter Obi, on March 24, 2022, declared his intention to contest the 2023 presidency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

PDP exit

On 25 May, Peter Obi announced his resignation from the PDP and also withdrew from contesting the party’s presidential primary election.

Joins LP

Two days later (May 27, 2022), Peter announced he is a member of Labour Party (LP) and would be aspiring for the presidency on the party’s platform.

On the 30th of May, Peter Obi emerged the presidential candidate of LP after other candidates like Pat Utomi stepped down for him.

ALSO READ: Why Peter Obi dumped PDP

Appointments while he was governor of Anambra state

Member of:

  • Federal Government Committee on Minimum Wage
  • Federal Government Committee on Negotiation with Labour on Subsidy
  • Federal Government Committee on Mass Transit
  • Federal Government Committee on Natural Resource
  • 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

Peter Obi’s wife

Peter Obi got married to Margaret Brownson Usen in 1992. Their marriage is blessed with two children – one boy and one girl.

The marriage was rumoured to hit the rocks in 2017. Margaret debunked the rumour while describing it as the height of wickedness.

Meanwhile, Obi has tried as much as possible to keep his private life off the public eyes.

Peter Obi children

Peter Obi’s children are Gregory Peter Oseloka Obi (male; younger) and Gabriella Nwamaka Frances Obi female; elder).

Peter Obi family and Archbishop Valerian Okeke of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province.

Peter Obi’s daughter marriage

His daughter, Nwamaka, is married to a Chicago-raised businessman, Chukwuma Okeke-Ojiudu. The wedding was held in April 2022.

Obi described her daughter as “a teacher in secondary school”.

Peter Obi’s son, Gregory is a Philosphy graduate from Bristol University, England.

He claimed his children “have never participated in any public life” and that his son “that is going to be 29/30 soon…doesn’t own a car because he has to buy his own car, not me”.

However, there are reports that his son Gregory “drives a 2017 BMW X6 worth approximately N60million in the UK and he has been driving same since February 2018″.

Source of wealth

During the Pandora Paper saga, Peter Obi in an Arise TV programme said; “I was the sole engineer of South African Breweries. I was also bringing in Ovaltine.

“The company I was with before, I left it for my brother who took over and paid me off. That company became the Next Cash and Carry which you see in Port Harcourt and Abuja.

“I was sitting in the board of three banks and was the chairman of one before I became a governor.”

Awards

  • Sun Newspaper’s Man of the Year (2007)
  • Thisday Newspaper’s Most Prudent Governor in Nigeria (2009)
  • This Day’s Governor of the Decade (2020)
  • 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)
  • Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Sylvester Pope and Martyr (2014)
  • Catholic Diocese of Onitsha’s Golden Jubilee Award (2015)

Achievements

  • He was the first gubernatorial candidate in Nigeria to legally challenge to its logical conclusion, his governorship electoral victory that was denied him. He won in the Courts and reclaimed his mandate.
  • He was the first Governor in Nigeria to legally challenge his wrongful impeachment and was reinstated by the Courts.
  • He was the first Governor in Nigeria to seek the interpretation of tenures of Governors when INEC allowed elections to take place in Anambra State when his tenure had not expired; the election already concluded was cancelled and he was allowed to complete his tenure.
  • He was the first Governor to serve a 2nd term in both the new and old Anambra State, that is, almost 40 years after creation of the State.
  • He was the first Governor, whilst still in Office, to be appointed a Special Adviser to the President.
  • He was the first serving Governor to be appointed into the Presidential Economic Management Team.
  • He was among the first Governors to be honoured with a National Award in 2011, while still in office.
  • Though the only Governor whose political party was in government in only one State, he was elected Vice-Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum twice.
  • Though the only non-PDP Governor in the South-East (made up of 5 States), he was elected by the other 4 PDP Governors as their Chairman for 8 years rather than the usual one year.

Fundamental Achievements as Governor of Anambra state

1. Anambra was the first State to commence Sub-Sovereign Wealth savings, the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa. At a time many other Governors were leaving huge debts, I left the equivalent of $500 million Dollars in investment as well as local and foreign currency, including $156 million in Dollar-denominated bonds.

2. For the first time in the history of Anambra State, Ambassadors and High Commissioners of notable countries such as United States, Britain, Russia, European Union, South Africa, Belgium, Israel, the Netherlands, Canada, among others, visited the State. Before his tenure, Anambra was practically a pariah state blacklisted by the Diplomatic Corps and international development partners.

3. Development partners such as UNDP, UNICEF, the World Bank, DFID, the European Union etc., which hitherto were not in Anambra State started working with the State. Anambra was consistently adjudged one of the best states in development partnership and commitment to reforms for good governance.

4. He was recognised as Best Governor by the Millennium Development Goals Office (OSSAP-MDGs) and the UNDP in the implementation of their programmes in Nigeria.

5. 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.

6. The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria rated Anambra State as the most financially stable state in the country.

7. The State’s ground-breaking return of schools to their original owners – Voluntary Agencies (Churches) on 1st January 2009, and subsequent partnership with the Agencies in Education, saw the State move from 24th position out of 36 States to Number One in National Examination Council (NECO) and West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations for three consecutive years. This made the World Bank to commission a study, led by the renowned Prof. Paul Collier of Oxford University, on this revolutionary partnership and phenomenal achievement.

8. The State also entered into 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, while the State restored grants to the agencies and made available to them more than 50 million Dollars in various types of support.

9. Through partnership with the Church in the Health sector, his Government funded the transformation of -:

  • a: Iyienu Hospital, Ogidi
  • b: Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala
  • c: St Charles Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha
  • d: Holy Rosary Hospital, Waterside, Onitsha
  • e: St. Joseph Hospital, Adazi-Nnukwu.

How much did Peter Obi left when he was governor of Anambra?

Peter Obi during when he appeared on “The candidate”, an NTA presidential programamme in 2019 said; “I left office in this country, leaving Anambra State with investment in cash of N75billion. The day I left office, we had $56million, N12billion in Fidelity Bank.; in Diamond Bank, $50million, N12billion; in Access Bank, $50million, N12billion for Anambra State. Show me in the history of this country where anybody has left 10 per cent of that.”

Controversies

  • In October, 2021, he was named in Pandora Papers, an investigative reporting carried out by more than 600 journalists in 117 countries for tax evasion. Read His REACTION.

Peter Obi’s phone number

Peter Obi’s phone number is not publicly available but he can be reached via any of his social media accounts below:

Twitter: @PeterObi

Facebook: @PeterObiGregory


Disclaimer

The information in this article was curated from online sources. All details cannot be independently verified by NewsWireNGR or its editorial team.

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