Nigeria incumbent governor wins high-profile race

Nigerian election officials say the incumbent governor of resource-rich Anambra state has won re-election during a largely peaceful contest that saw scattered reports of vote-rigging.

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission says Gov. Peter Obi won nearly 98,000 votes in the election held Saturday. An election official announced Obi's win Sunday morning.

Several candidates had vied for the position in Anambra, a southern Nigerian state rich with natural resources. The electoral commission had promised a clean election and a beefed-up police force patrolled streets and instituted a dusk-til-dawn curfew in the state.

Still, local newspapers reported at least one ballot box was stolen while others openly bought votes.

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State was born on the 19th of July, 1961 at Onitsha in Anambra State.

In 1980, he gained admission into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he read Philosophy graduating B. A. (Hons) in that discipline in 1984. Like the trained philosopher he is, he has very broad perspectives on issues.

No sooner did he graduate than he plunged headlong into business, taking after his father, a retired police officer and successful businessman. He has subsequently succeeded immensely in business by dint of hard work which he backed with management training in some of the best institutions in the globe.

These include Lagos Business School, Nigeria where he underwent the Chief Executive Programme; Harvard Business School, Boston, USA for the mid to mid programme; London School of Economics for the Financial Management/Business Policy Programme; Columbia Business School, USA where he studied Marketing Management. Others are Kellog Graduate School of Management USA where he did an Advanced Executive Programme and Institute for Management Development (IMD), Switzerland for a Senior Executive Forum.

His vast training in business courses has no doubt led to his success in many spheres of business. Before veering into politics, he had attained dizzying heights as Chairman, Fidelity Bank Plc; Chairman, Guardian Express Mortgage Bank Ltd; Director, Guardian Express Bank Ltd; Chairman, Future View Security Ltd; Chairman, Paymaster Nigeria Ltd; Chairman, Next International (Nig.) Ltd; Director, Chans Nigeria Ltd; Chairman, Dataciro Limited; Director, Card Centre Limited.
He also belongs to many professional associations which include Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Nigerian Chartered Institute of Bankers and Commonwealth Business Council. Others are member of West African Business Committee (WABC); member of British Institute of Directors (BIOD); and member of Nigerian – South African Chamber of Commerce (NSACC).

After having virtually conquered the business world, he went into politics with the considerable resources at his disposal by contesting the gubernatorial elections in Anambra State in 2003. Although he won, he was rigged out. Undaunted, he embarked on a near three-year legal battle to regain his mandate, which he did. Barely eight months into his administration, he was unconstitutionally impeached and had to fight again to be reinstated. Another battle he has also won is the extension of his tenure beyond the general elections in 2007.

Since he ended his multiple legal battles, Governor Obi has embarked on integrated development of his state, by which he approached development in a holistic manner, that is, developing all sectors simultaneously. He has brought his private sector background to bear on the development process in Anambra.

 

Courtesy of Newser, Nigeria Governors' Forum