# Paul Obi

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{{Short description|Nigerian politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                   = Paul Edor Obi
| image                  =
| image_size             = 150px
| office1                = Administrator and 4th [Governor of Bayelsa State](/source/Governor_of_Bayelsa_State)
| term_start1            = 9 July 1998
| term_end1              = 29 May 1999
| predecessor1           = [Omoniyi Caleb Olubolade](/source/Omoniyi_Caleb_Olubolade)
| successor1             = [Diepreye Alamieyeseigha](/source/Diepreye_Alamieyeseigha)
| birth_date             = 
| birth_place            = 
| death_date             = 
| party                  = 
| Educational background =  
}}
'''Paul Edor Obi''' is a Nigerian retired lieutenant colonel who served as military administrator of [Bayelsa State](/source/Bayelsa_State) from July 1998 to May 1999, during the transitional regime of General [Abdulsalami Abubakar](/source/Abdulsalami_Abubakar).<ref name=wstate>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Nigeria_federal_states.htm
 |title=Nigerian States
 |publisher=WorldStatesmen 
 |accessdate=2010-05-11}}</ref><ref name="The Nation Newspaper 2022">{{Cite news | title=Ex-Bayelsa MILAD, others arraigned for alleged fraud, forgery |newspaper=[The Nation](/source/The_Nation_(Nigeria))| date=2022-03-26 | url=https://thenationonlineng.net/ex-bayelsa-milad-others-arraigned-for-alleged-fraud-forgery/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria| access-date=2023-06-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=nigerianleaders |date=2024-06-26 |title=List of Governors of Bayelsa State and Their Deputies |url=https://nigerianleaders.com/governors-of-bayelsa-state-and-their-deputies/ |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=Nigerian Leaders |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Early career==

Obi graduated from the [U.S. Army Aviation School](/source/U.S._Army_Aviation_School) in [Fort Rucker, Alabama](/source/Fort_Rucker%2C_Alabama), and earned a Higher Diploma in Aviation Technology. He also graduated from the [Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji](/source/Armed_Forces_Command_and_Staff_College%2C_Jaji).<ref name=umort>{{cite web
 |url=http://unitedmortgageltd.com/default.asp?contentID=549
 |title=Lt. Col. Paul OBI (Rtd.)
 |publisher=United Mortgage Ltd.
 |accessdate=2010-05-11
 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
He served in the military for over 23 years. 
He was a platoon commander under the [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon](/source/United_Nations_Interim_Force_in_Lebanon).<ref name=SAIns>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.sainsuranceng.com/A_directors.asp
 |title=About Us: SA Insurance Directors
 |publisher=SA Insurance
 |accessdate=2010-05-11}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>

==Bayelsa State administrator==

Obi was appointed military administrator of Bayelsa State in July 1998.<ref name=wstate/>
On 11 December 1998, demonstrators marched towards Government House in [Yenagoa](/source/Yenagoa) to convey their grievances.
Troops opened fire, killing some and injuring many others.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://se1.isn.ch/serviceengine/Files/ISN/98402/ichaptersection_singledocument/EAFF9EB3-0EC7-4D74-80D3-DBB8766D2D40/en/Chapter5.pdf
 |title=Oil, Arms Proliferation and Conflict in the Niger Delta of Nigeria
 |author=Victor Ojakorotu and Ufo Okeke-Uzodike
 |accessdate=2010-05-11}}</ref>
Following continued civil disturbances, on 30 December 1998 he declared a state of emergency, suspending all civil liberties and imposing a dusk-to-dawn curfew.<ref>
{{cite web
 |url=http://kadir-akbaba.net/doc_de/archiv/n/nigeria/virajm.htm
 |title=THE IJAW CRISIS
 |work=Human Rights Server
 |accessdate=2010-05-11
 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
</ref>
The [Niger Delta Volunteer Force](/source/Niger_Delta_Volunteer_Force) (NDVF) leaders described this as an "outright declaration of war on the [Ijaws](/source/Ijaw_people)".
The curfew was lifted on 4 January 1999 after the government "deployed warships and more troops in Niger Delta areas to quell violent protests by restive Ijaw youths".<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3ae6ad6c8c.html
 |title=Nigeria: Existence and activities of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force; treatment of its members and leaders by the authorities (1998-1999)
 |publisher=Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
 |date=17 December 1999
 |accessdate=2010-05-11}}</ref>

Obi was a member of the Niger Delta Development Option Committee, which prepared the initial blueprint for development of the [Niger Delta](/source/Niger_Delta) region.<ref name=SAIns/>
In April 1999 he met with selected Ijaw leaders at state house in [Yenagoa](/source/Yenagoa). He said the Federal Government wanted to help develop  the state, and urged the people to "embrace the path of peace and dialogue at all times".<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200806060772.html?viewall=1
 |title=Why Niger-Delta Leaders Don't Want Another Summit
 |work=Vanguard
 |author=Emma Amaize
 |date=6 June 2008
 |accessdate=2010-05-11}}</ref>
He handed over to the elected civilian governor [Diepreye Alamieyeseigha](/source/Diepreye_Alamieyeseigha) at the start of the [Nigerian Fourth Republic](/source/Nigerian_Fourth_Republic) on 29 May 1999.<ref>{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.bayelsa.gov.ng/new/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=109:bayelsa-state&catid=47:the-state&Itemid=111
 |title        = Bayelsa State
 |publisher    = Bayelsa State Government
 |accessdate   = 2010-05-11
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110724143253/http://www.bayelsa.gov.ng/new/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=109:bayelsa-state&catid=47:the-state&Itemid=111#
 |archive-date = 2011-07-24
 |url-status     = dead
}}</ref>

==Later career==

After retiring, Obi became a security consultant and was chairman/chief executive officer of Pauliza Limited. He was appointed to the board of directors of several companies, including United Mortgage, Standard Alliance Insurance, Concert Alliance, Next Generation Wireless, Rode & Roke and [Lagos Business School](/source/Pan-Atlantic_University) Alumni.<ref name=umort/><ref name=SAIns/>

He was arraigned over alleged fraud in March 2022.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Daniel |first1=Otuya |title=EFCC arraigns ex-Bayelsa military administrator, two others over alleged fraud |url=https://thestreetjournal.org/efcc-arraigns-ex-bayelsa-military-administrator-two-others-over-alleged-fraud/ |access-date=9 December 2022 |work=The Street Journal |date=25 March 2022 |archive-date=28 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328000636/https://thestreetjournal.org/efcc-arraigns-ex-bayelsa-military-administrator-two-others-over-alleged-fraud/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{BayelsaGovernors}}
{{Nigeria Abubakar Governors}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Obi, Paul Edor}}
Category:Living people
Category:Governors of Bayelsa State
Category:Pan-Atlantic University people
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

{{Nigeria-mil-bio-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Paul Obi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Obi) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Obi?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.