Peter Obi: Despite 13-Month Doctors’ Strike, No Mass Deaths Were Recorded in Anambra

 

Former Anambra State Governor and NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has defended his administration’s handling of a 13-month doctors’ strike during his tenure, saying the prolonged industrial action did not result in mass deaths in the state.

Obi made the claim while speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference in Rivers State, where he discussed the condition of Anambra’s healthcare system when he assumed office and the measures his administration took to improve it.

According to Obi, the state faced significant gaps in healthcare infrastructure at the time, including a lack of accredited schools of nursing and teaching hospitals.

“Doctors were on strike for 13 months and the only thing the doctors have never said is why they went on strike,” Obi said.

He recalled that when he became governor, Anambra had no accredited school of nursing, while the state university did not have a teaching hospital and some hospitals were not accredited.

“There was no single school of nursing accredited and university did not have a teaching hospital and hospitals were not accredited,” he said.

Obi said his administration initially invested in general hospitals but later changed its approach after encountering challenges with the system.

He explained that the government began working with agencies and church-owned institutions, providing funding to support healthcare delivery.

“So I decided after several months to deal with our doctors, so I put money in general hospital, then they transferred it somewhere else. Then I decided I’m going to work with the agencies, schools owned by the churches and I started funding them, then they started saying I’m supporting private sectors,” he said.

Defending his administration’s position during the dispute, Obi questioned the effect of the doctors’ prolonged absence on the state’s healthcare system.

“We had a disagreement. If the doctors were very effective, in 13 months there was no mass death, that means something is missing because after 13 months we are still alive and they were on strike,” he said.

The former governor maintained that the decisions taken by his administration eventually produced lasting improvements in Anambra’s healthcare sector.

He pointed to the growth in nursing education and the establishment of teaching hospitals as some of the outcomes of his approach.

“Go to Anambra State today, we have the highest numbers of schools of nursing, we have three teaching hospitals because of that decision I took,” Obi said.

Obi’s comments come as the 2027 presidential campaign gathers momentum, with candidates increasingly highlighting their records in public office as they seek to convince Nigerians of their capacity to govern.

‘I Can No Longer Continue in Good Conscience’ — Former AAC Governorship Candidate Resigns

Former African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate in the 2025 Anambra State governorship election, Chioma Ifemeludike, has resigned from the party, citing what she described as a departure from its founding principles of transparency, accountability, and internal democracy.

In a resignation letter dated June 27, 2026, and addressed to the National Chairman of the party, with copies to the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC), Ifemeludike said her decision followed “careful reflection, extensive consultations, and a thorough assessment of the current state and direction of the party.”

She described the decision as difficult, noting that she had devoted significant time, commitment, and sacrifice to building the party and advancing the ideals upon which it was founded.

According to Ifemeludike, she joined the AAC because she believed in its vision of justice, accountability, internal democracy, and its promise of offering Nigerians a credible political alternative. She said she carried out her responsibilities with diligence and remained committed to the growth and unity of the party throughout her membership.

However, she stated that recent developments within the party made it increasingly difficult for her to remain a member in good conscience.

The former governorship candidate said her repeated calls for transparency, due process, proper vetting of candidates, strict adherence to the party’s constitution, and principled leadership were made to strengthen the party but were not given the attention they deserved.

“As someone who believes that political leadership must be anchored on integrity, accountability, and respect for democratic principles, I can no longer continue to associate with a system that, in my considered opinion, has departed from these core values,” she wrote.

Despite her decision to leave the party, Ifemeludike expressed appreciation to AAC members and supporters she worked with during her time in the party, thanking them for their dedication and wishing them success in their future political engagements.

She stressed that her resignation does not signal an end to her commitment to public service or her pursuit of justice, equity, good governance, and a better Nigeria.

“My resignation from the AAC does not mark the end of my commitment to public service or the pursuit of justice, equity, good governance, and a better Nigeria. I remain committed to contributing meaningfully to the advancement of our democracy and the welfare of our people,” she stated.

Her resignation takes immediate effect.