Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has defended his administration’s record in the health sector, explaining the circumstances surrounding the 13-month doctors’ strike during his tenure.
Obi responded to criticism from African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore at the 2026 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), where Sowore had questioned Obi’s performance as governor and cited the prolonged industrial action by doctors in Anambra State.
Sowore had argued that although Obi was widely regarded as a popular political figure, his administration should also be judged by its record, particularly the 13-month strike involving doctors.
Responding, Obi said he was not attempting to defend himself but wanted to provide context to the dispute, particularly for people familiar with Anambra State.
According to the former governor, when he assumed office, Anambra State did not have a single accredited school of nursing, while several of its hospitals and teaching institutions lacked the necessary accreditation.
“When I became governor, there was not a single school of nursing accredited in Anambra State,” Obi said.
He said his administration subsequently invested in the health sector, including the expansion and development of teaching hospitals and nursing institutions.
Obi explained that his administration also sought to work with religious organisations and other private institutions that owned hospitals and schools, arguing that improving healthcare in the state required collaboration beyond government-owned facilities.
He said his decision to provide funding and support to such institutions was criticised by some people who believed government resources should not be used to support privately owned facilities.
Obi questions impact of doctors’ strike
Addressing the 13-month doctors’ strike directly, Obi questioned the narrative surrounding the industrial action, arguing that there was more context to the dispute than simply stating that doctors were on strike.
He said the doctors had not clearly explained the circumstances that led to the prolonged strike and challenged anyone at the conference to explain the reasons behind it.
Obi also argued that despite the length of the strike, the state did not experience the kind of mass deaths that might ordinarily be expected from a prolonged shutdown of medical services.
“If the doctors are very effective, in 13 months there was no mass death. That means something is missing. Because after 13 months, we were still alive,” he said.
The former governor maintained that his administration’s approach ultimately produced lasting improvements in the state’s healthcare infrastructure.
‘Anambra now has highest number of nursing schools’
Obi said Anambra had recorded significant progress in medical education since his administration’s interventions.
He claimed the state now has the highest number of schools of nursing and midwifery in Nigeria, as well as three teaching hospitals.
“Today, in Anambra State, we have the highest number of schools of nursing midwifery than any other state,” Obi said.
He also listed three teaching hospitals in the state, including the university teaching hospital and other institutions which he said were upgraded to teaching-hospital status as a result of decisions taken during his administration.
Obi defended his willingness to take difficult decisions in government, saying leaders should be prepared to withstand criticism when implementing policies they believe will improve public institutions.
“If annoying them means that we will do well, we will do that,” he said.
His comments came during a broader discussion on security and state capacity at the NBA conference, which brought together several prominent political figures, including Sowore, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and other political leaders.
The exchange between Obi and Sowore highlights the growing scrutiny of the records of former officeholders as political actors position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections, with governance, public-sector performance, healthcare, security and economic policy expected to remain major issues in the political debate.
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