A fresh political dispute has erupted between former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and his former campaign spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, with both men trading accusations over alleged defamatory remarks made during a television interview.
Obi, now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has threatened legal action against Okonkwo, demanding N5 billion in damages over comments he described as false and damaging to his reputation.
In a pre-action notice signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Alex Ejesieme, Obi accused the actor-turned-politician of making serious allegations against him during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme.
During the interview, Okonkwo alleged that Obi and members of the NDC’s South-East caucus demanded money from aspirants seeking tickets to contest for seats in the National Assembly.
He specifically referenced Obunike Ohaegbu, an aspirant for a House of Representatives ticket in Anambra State, claiming the politician had alleged that he paid N10 million in connection with securing the party’s nomination.
However, Ohaegbu later appeared on the same programme and denied accusing Obi of collecting money from him. He clarified that the payment was made into the NDC’s official bank account based on instructions from the party’s national secretary and not directly to Obi.
Reacting to Okonkwo’s comments, Obi described the allegations as “false, malicious and defamatory,” arguing that they portrayed him as dishonest and corrupt.
According to the legal notice, the remarks amounted to allegations of bribery, extortion, fraud and other criminal conduct capable of damaging Obi’s reputation and public standing.
The former Anambra State governor demanded an immediate withdrawal of the statements, a public apology to be published on Channels Television and across social media platforms, as well as payment of N5 billion as damages.
Obi warned that failure to comply with the demands within the stipulated period would leave him with no option but to seek redress in court.
But in a swift response posted on his X account on Wednesday, Okonkwo dismissed the threat of legal action and challenged Obi to proceed with the lawsuit.
The former Labour Party chieftain said he had become aware of the letter circulating online but had yet to review it in detail.
Mocking the demand for damages, Okonkwo suggested that if Obi needed funds for future political campaigns, he should ask for support directly rather than pursue what he described as an attempt to extort him.
He also claimed that during the 2023 presidential campaign, he personally paid for some of his travel and accommodation expenses while serving as one of Obi’s spokespersons.
Okonkwo further warned that a court battle could lead to the disclosure of information he obtained while working closely with Obi’s campaign team.
He maintained that taking a former spokesperson to court for defamation was an unwise move and insisted he would formally respond after studying the legal notice.
“It will be a shame to Peter Obi and his lawyers if they do not take this case to court,” Okonkwo said, adding that he was prepared to defend his position.
The latest confrontation marks another chapter in the deteriorating relationship between the two former political allies, who worked together during the 2023 presidential election but have since fallen out over several political and party-related issues.
As of the time of filing this report, neither side had indicated any willingness to resolve the dispute outside the courts.
Advertisement