Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has filed a defamation suit against his form
er political ally, Kenneth Okonkwo, over allegations he described as false, malicious, and damaging to his reputation.
er political ally, Kenneth Okonkwo, over allegations he described as false, malicious, and damaging to his reputation.
According to a legal document dated June 9, 2026, Obi's legal team, led by Chief Alex Ejesieme (SAN) of Alex Ejesieme (SAN) & Co. (Madiba Chambers), rejected claims allegedly made by Okonkwo accusing the former governor and other leaders of the NDC of collecting bribes from aspirants seeking tickets to contest elections.
The suit followed public statements attributed to Okonkwo, a lawyer, actor, and politician, in which he allegedly claimed that aspirants for House of Representatives positions were required to pay N10 million in addition to the party's officially approved expression of interest fees.
Obi's lawyers argued that the allegations portrayed their client as being involved in bribery, extortion, fraud, and other criminal conduct, insisting that the claims were entirely false and unsupported by evidence.
The legal team further alleged that Okonkwo claimed Peter Obi personally compiled the party's list of candidates from a hotel room and warned aspirants that they were being deceived. The statements also reportedly suggested that Obi collected money from individuals during foreign trips and participated in broader acts of political misconduct.
In the legal document, Obi's counsel described the allegations as "false, baseless, malicious, reckless, defamatory and wholly unsupported by any fact," adding that they were deliberately intended to tarnish the former presidential candidate's image and standing in the public eye.
The lawyers noted that the statements were made publicly and subsequently circulated through television broadcasts, online platforms, and social media channels, thereby reaching a wide audience and allegedly causing significant reputational damage.
As part of the legal demands, Obi is seeking an immediate retraction of the statements and a clear, unreserved public apology from Okonkwo.
The apology, according to the legal team, should be published with equal prominence across all platforms where the allegations were circulated, including X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
The suit also seeks a written undertaking from Okonkwo to refrain from making or publishing similar allegations in the future, as well as financial compensation for the alleged harm caused by the statements.
The legal action marks a significant escalation in the strained relationship between the two politicians, who were once close political associates. In recent weeks, Okonkwo has publicly criticized Obi following his exit from the party and has openly declared support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's reported 2027 presidential ambition.
As of the time of filing this report, Kenneth Okonkwo had not publicly responded to the lawsuit or the demands contained in the legal notice.
