Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, was on Monday, January 20, 2020, honoured with the “Governor of the Decade” Award during the THISDAY Silver Jubilee celebration at Eko Hotel, Lagos.
Born Peter Gregory Obi on July 19, 1961, he is a politician and businessman who was the vice-presidential candidate in the 2019 Nigerian general election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He served as governor of Anambra State from March 17, 2006 to November 2, 2006, when he was impeached and from February 9, 2007 to May 29, 2007 after his impeachment was overturned. Although a fresh election was held on April 29, 2007, he was again governor on June 14, 2007 after a court ruling that he should be allowed to complete a four-year term. He won a February 6, 2010 election for a second term as governor.
He attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he obtained a degree in philosophy in 1984. He was chairman of Next International Nigeria Ltd, then chairman and director of Guardian Express Mortgage Bank Ltd, Guardian Express Bank Plc, Future View Securities Ltd, Paymaster Nigeria Ltd, Chams Nigeria Ltd, Data Corp Ltd and Card Centre Ltd. He was the youngest chairman of Fidelity Bank PLC. He was recently appointed the chairman of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) by former President Goodluck Jonathan after the 2015 general election.
On October 12, 2018, Peter Obi, who has been a recipient of several awards including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Best Performing Governor on Immunization in South-East Nigeria (2012), was named as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Candidate in the Nigerian 2019 Presidential elections. He is married with children.