Peter Obi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Obi
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Portrait, 2023
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| Governor of Anambra State | |
| In office 14 June 2007 – 17 March 2014 |
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| President | Olusegun Obasanjo |
| Preceded by | Andy Uba |
| Succeeded by | Willie Obiano |
| In office 9 February 2007 – 29 May 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Virginia Etiaba |
| Succeeded by | Andy Uba |
| In office 17 March 2006 – 3 November 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Chris Ngige |
| Succeeded by | Virginia Etiaba |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Peter Gregory Obi
19 July 1961 Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Other political affiliations |
All Progressives Grand Alliance
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| Spouse |
Margaret Brownson Usen
(m. 1992) |
| Education |
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| Signature | |
Peter Gregory Obi was born on 19 July 1961. He is a Nigerian politician and a successful businessman. He served as the Governor of Anambra State in Nigeria. He was governor from 2006 to 2014, though his time in office had some breaks.
Later, Peter Obi became a member of the Labour Party in 2022. He then ran for president in the 2023 Nigerian presidential election.
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Early life and education
Peter Obi was born in Onitsha, a city in Anambra State, Nigeria. This was on 19 July 1961. He grew up in a Christian family from the town of Agulu.
He went to secondary school at Christ the King College, Onitsha. After that, he studied Philosophy at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka. He graduated in 1984. Peter Obi also studied at several famous business schools around the world. These include the Lagos Business School and Harvard Business School.
Career in politics
Peter Obi started his career in banking. Later, he moved into politics. He first tried to become the Governor of Anambra State in 2003. He ran with the All Progressives Grand Alliance party. He did not win that election at first.
Becoming Governor
In March 2006, a court decided that Peter Obi had actually won the 2003 election. So, he became the Governor of Anambra State. However, he was removed from office in November 2006. This is called being "impeached."
But the Supreme Court of Nigeria later said his removal was wrong. He was put back in office in February 2007. He served until 2014. During his time as governor, he was re-elected for a second term. He handed over to Willie Obiano when his term ended.
After being governor, Peter Obi was appointed chairman of the Nigerian Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2015.
Running for President
In 2019, Peter Obi ran for Vice President of Nigeria. He was the running mate for Atiku Abubakar. They were part of the Peoples Democratic Party. They did not win that election.
On 24 March 2022, Peter Obi announced he wanted to run for President of Nigeria. He first planned to run with the Peoples Democratic Party. But he later decided to join the Labour Party. He said he left his old party due to issues with how they chose candidates.
The Obidient movement
During the 2023 presidential campaign, many young people supported Peter Obi. They showed their support on social media and by holding marches. These supporters were called the "Obidients." This name came from his last name, Obi.
Many people felt that Peter Obi's ideas were about being careful with money. They liked his focus on growing the economy and investing in important areas. Political experts said that his campaign became a very big movement in Nigeria's recent history. This was because many young voters were not happy with the two main political parties.
Before the official campaigns began, Obi's supporters held large marches. These were called "One Million Man Marches." They took place in many Nigerian cities. These marches were led by volunteers, not by Obi's official team. They had a huge number of people attend.
Choosing a running mate
A "running mate" is the person who runs for Vice President alongside the presidential candidate. Peter Obi chose Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed as his running mate. This was announced on 8 July 2022. Peter Obi said he chose him because they shared similar ideas for Nigeria's future.
Election results
The results of the 2023 Nigerian presidential election were announced on 1 March 2023. Bola Tinubu won the election. Peter Obi came in third place. He received 6.1 million votes. He won in some important areas like Lagos and Abuja.
After the election, Peter Obi said he would challenge the results. He believed that he had won the election and wanted to prove it.
Personal life and awards
Peter Obi married Margaret Brownson in 1992. They have two children together.
He has received many awards for his work. In 2007, he was named "Man of the Year" by The Sun newspaper. In 2009, This Day newspaper called him the "Most Prudent Governor in Nigeria." He also received an award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2012 for his work on immunization. In 2013, he was named "Man of the Year" by the Silverbird Group.
He also received the "Distinguished Alumnus Award" from the Lagos Business School in 2014. In 2020, This Day gave him the "Governor of the Decade" award.
See also
In Spanish: Peter Obi para niños
- List of Igbo people
- List of governors of Anambra State
