Obi demands N5bn, public apology from Okonkwo over defamation claim

A political rift has erupted as presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has demanded ₦5 billion in damages and a public apology from Kenneth Okonkwo over alleged defamatory statements made during a televised interview.

In a letter dated June 9, 2026, Obi’s legal team led by Alex Ejesieme (SAN), accused Okonkwo of making “false, malicious and defamatory” remarks during an appearance on June 8, adding that the comments were later circulated across multiple media platforms and online outlets.

Central to the allegations is Okonkwo’s claim that “Obi, together with the leaders of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the South-East, informed the party’s aspirants that any person seeking to contest as a member of the House of Representatives must  pay a bribe of Ten Million Naira to the NDC and to the Caucus leaders,” after paying the official party fees.

The letter further alleged that Okonkwo claimed to have documentary proof of the payments, accused Obi of compiling the party’s candidate list from a hotel room, warned aspirants that Obi would “scam” them, and alleged that he collected money from individuals abroad while engaging in criminal activities with other party leaders.

Obi’s lawyers said the statements amounted to a direct attack on his character, insisting: “The above statements… falsely and maliciously represent our Client as a person who demands, solicits, organises and collects bribes; who extorts, defrauds and swindles political aspirants who is a fraudster, a scammer and a dishonest political actor; and who is engaged in criminal conspiracy and is actively perpetuating criminality.”

They demanded that Okonkwo, within seven days, retract the claims and publish an “unequivocal and unreserved” apology with equal or greater prominence, describing the allegations as “false, baseless, malicious, reckless, defamatory and wholly unsupported by any fact.” Okonkwo, however, responded: “I will reply to the letter whenever I have the time to read it later in the day. It will be a shame if they do not take this case to court. I don’t have time or patience for scammers,” while warning that legal action could expose information from his time as Obi’s spokesperson.

The dispute now appears headed for court, with both sides refusing to back down, setting the stage for a potentially explosive legal battle that could further strain political alliances and deepen scrutiny around the allegations.