LAGOS – Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has threatened a N5b lawsuit against actor and politician, Kenneth Okonkwo over alleged defamation.
Obi’s lawyer, Chief Alex Ejesieme (SAN), in a letter dated June 9, 2026, accused Okonkwo of making “false, malicious and defamatory” claims against the former Anambra State governor during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Monday, June 8.
According to the letter, Okonkwo allegedly claimed that Obi and leaders of the NDC in the South-East demanded a N10 million payment from aspirants seeking House of Representatives tickets after paying the official expression of interest fee. The letter also alleged that Okonkwo stated there was documentary evidence of the payment, including receipts.
The legal team further accused the actor of alleging that Obi personally compiled the party’s list of candidates from a hotel room, claiming that Obi travelled abroad to collect money from individuals, and alleged that Obi and South-East NDC leaders were involved in criminal activities.
Ejesieme described the statements as “false, baseless, malicious, reckless, defamatory and wholly unsupported by any fact.”
According to Obi’s legal team, the allegations had damaged Obi’s reputation and public standing, arguing that the comments went beyond legitimate political criticism.
“Your words were not mere political commentary. They crossed the permissible bounds of fair comment and constituted a direct assault on our client’s person, integrity, image and reputation,” the letter said.
Obi is demanding that Okonkwo withdraw the statements within seven days, issue a public apology, and publish the apology through the same platforms where the comments were circulated, including television and social media channels.
The former Anambra State governor is also seeking N5 billion as general, aggravated and exemplary damages and wants a written undertaking that no further defamatory statements will be made against him.
The letter warned that failure to comply with the demands within the stipulated period would leave Obi with “no option than to seek legal redress” and pursue legal action, including claims for damages, injunctive reliefs, public retraction, apology and the cost of court proceedings.
The chambers stated: “The above statements, in their natural and ordinary meaning and by necessary implication, falsely and maliciously represent our client as a person who demands, solicits, organises, and collects bribes; who extorts, defrauds, and swindles political aspirants of their money; who is a fraudster, a scammer, and a dishonest political actor; and who, in concert with others, is engaged in criminal conspiracy and is actively perpetuating criminality. These are extremely grave, damaging, and reckless imputations of bribery, extortion, fraud, financial dishonesty, and criminality directed at the character, integrity, reputation, and public standing of our Client.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our Client states categorically that the said allegations are false, baseless, malicious, reckless, defamatory, and wholly unsupported by any fact. They were made with the clear intent and purpose of lowering our client in the estimation of right-thinking members of society, exposing him to hatred, contempt, and ridicule, and injuring his hard-earned reputation as a man of unquestionable integrity, a statesman, and a political leader. It’s particularly disturbing that the said statements were made by you on live television and were thereafter republished, broadcast, and widely circulated through online and social media platforms, including video-sharing platforms, where such falsehoods spread rapidly and assume a life of their own. Your words were not mere political commentary. They crossed the permissible bounds of fair comment and constituted a direct assault on our Client’s person, integrity, image, and reputation.”
The law firm said that the right to freedom of expression doesn’t permit the reckless destruction of another person’s reputation.
The firm’s listed demands require Okonkwo to immediately withdraw the defamatory statements in their entirety and publish a clear, unequivocal, and unreserved public apology to Peter Obi.
“This withdrawal and apology must be given equal prominence to the original broadcast and shared across all his social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
Additionally, the legal team demanded a written undertaking that he’ll cease making or publishing further defamatory statements against their client, alongside a financial compensation package,” his legal team stated.
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