By Bose
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Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has initiated legal proceedings against former ally, Kenneth Okonkwo, over alleged defamatory statements made during a live television interview.
In a letter dated June 9, 2026, Obi, through his lawyer, Chief Alex Ejesieme (SAN) of Alex Ejesieme (SAN) & Co. (Madiba Chambers), accused Okonkwo of making false, malicious, and damaging allegations against him during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on June 8.
The legal dispute marks a fresh twist in the increasingly strained relationship between the two politicians, who once worked closely together during the 2023 presidential campaign but have since parted ways amid disagreements over party affairs and political direction.
According to the demand letter, Okonkwo alleged during the broadcast that Peter Obi and certain NDC leaders in the South-East demanded a ₦10 million payment from aspirants seeking nomination for House of Representatives seats after they had already paid the official expression of interest fees.
The lawyer further stated that Okonkwo claimed to possess documentary evidence of the alleged payments and receipts, while also alleging that Obi personally compiled the party’s list of candidates from a hotel room.
Other statements attributed to Okonkwo included claims that Obi defrauded political aspirants, collected money from individuals abroad, and was involved in activities amounting to criminal conduct.
Obi’s legal team strongly rejected the allegations, describing them as “false, baseless, reckless and defamatory.”
According to the letter, the statements portray Obi as a person involved in bribery, extortion, fraud, financial dishonesty and criminal conspiracy, thereby damaging his reputation and standing as a political leader.
The legal team argued that while freedom of expression is a constitutional right, it does not extend to making unsubstantiated allegations capable of destroying another person’s reputation.
Consequently, Obi has demanded an immediate withdrawal of the statements, a public apology to be published with equal prominence across traditional and digital media platforms, including X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, as well as a written undertaking against future defamatory publications.
The former Anambra governor is also seeking monetary compensation for the alleged damage caused by the widely circulated remarks.
The letter warned that failure to comply with the demands within seven days would leave Obi with no option but to pursue full legal redress before the courts.
