Peter Gregory Obi CON (Igbo: [òbí] ⓘ; born 19 July 1961) is a Nigerian politician and businessman who was the Governor of Anambra State under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 17 March 2006 to 3 November 2006, when he was impeached. He was reinstated on 9 February 2007 and continued his tenure until 2010. He was reelected for his second term until 7 March 2014. A member of the Labour Party since 2022, he was the presidential candidate in the 2023 Nigerian presidential election.
Born in Onitsha, Anambra, Obi graduated from Christ the King College, Onitsha and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He began his career in banking and later went into politics. He contested for the office of the Anambra State Governor in 2003 under the All Progressives Grand Alliance. Victory in the election was awarded to Chris Ngige, who was subsequently sworn in as the governor. Obi successfully challenged this outcome in court and was declared the duly elected candidate, becoming the governor of the state on 17 March, 2006.
Obi’s administration was however interrupted shortly after as he was removed from office by the state assembly 3 November, 2006. The state assembly cited “gross misconduct” on the part of Obi for its action. Obi headed once more to court, as the position of Governor devolved to his deputy, Dame Virginia Etiaba. He was restored to office and resumed as governor 9 February, 2007. Obi was yet to complete his tenure when another election was held to fill the position: the electoral body, INEC, was more interested in keeping to its schedule of elections than consideration of fairness to Obi. This “election” produced Andy Uba of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as Governor. His swearing in on 29 May, 2007 meant forcible removal of Obi from the governorship seat. Obi was yet once more compelled to seek judicial help. The Supreme Court upheld Obi’s position, overturning another illegality to enable Obi serve out his governorship from 14 June, 2007 to 17 March, 2010. Obi successfully ran for re-election and subsequently held the governorship till 17 March, 2014 when he handed over to his successor, Willie Obiano.
Obi sought the Nigerian vice-presidential nomination in 2019, along Atiku Abubakar after decamping to Peoples Democratic Party but lost to Muhammadu Buhari. He became a member of the Labour Party in 2022 and was handed the presidential ticket by Patrick Utomi during the primary election of the party. He selected Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed as the vice-presidential candidate for the 2023 Nigerian presidential election, and their ticket lost to president and vice president, Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima. Obi’s presidential campaign has been described as populist, especially with firing up a group of supporters called the ‘Obidients’.
