Offices and service
Where he
has served
Public office, candidacies and boardrooms, most recent first.
Public office
2015–2015
Chairman of the Board
Securities and Exchange Commission · Abuja
Non-executive chairman until the new government dissolved all federal boards.
2012–2015
Member
Presidential Economic Management Team · Abuja
The first serving governor on the team; also Honorary Special Adviser to the President on Finance.
2008–2014
Vice-Chairman
Nigeria Governors' Forum
Elected twice.
2006–2014
Governor
Anambra State · Awka
Two terms, interrupted by impeachment (2 November 2006 to 9 February 2007) and by Andy Uba’s seventeen days (29 May to 14 June 2007).
2006–2014
Chairman
South-East Governors' Forum
Eight years as the only non-PDP governor in the zone.
Candidacies
2026–
Presidential Candidate
Nigeria Democratic Congress
Ratified 29 May 2026 with Rabiu Kwankwaso as running mate. Election on 16 January 2027.
2022–2023
Presidential Candidate
Labour Party
6,101,533 votes: Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory and ten other states.
2018–2019
Vice-Presidential Candidate
Peoples Democratic Party
On the Atiku Abubakar ticket: 11,262,978 votes, seventeen states and the capital.
Boards
1998–2006
Director
Card Centre Plc, Data Corp Ltd, Emerging Capital Ltd
1998–2006
Director
Chams Nigeria Plc
1998–2006
Chairman
Future View Securities Ltd
1998–2006
Director
Guardian Express Bank Plc
1998–2006
Chairman
Guardian Express Mortgage Bank Ltd
1998–2006
Chairman
Paymaster Nigeria Plc
1996–2006
Chairman
Fidelity Bank Plc
The youngest chairman in the bank’s history.
1990–2006
Chairman and Chief Executive
Next International (Nigeria) Ltd · Onitsha, Lagos, London
The family’s import and distribution house.