Okonkwo Releases Evidence Against Peter Obi as ₦5bn Defamation Battle Looms

Renowned Nollywood actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo has escalated his public dispute with Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), by releasing what he describes as documentary evidence to support allegations of financial extortion during the party’s primary elections.

Bank Alert Evidence

Okonkwo insists that aspirants seeking elective positions under the NDC were compelled to make unauthorized payments to secure party tickets and has directly accused Obi of playing a central role in the alleged scheme. The allegations have triggered a fierce response from Obi’s legal team, which has issued a pre-litigation notice demanding ₦5 billion in damages and a public apology within seven days.

The controversy first erupted after Okonkwo appeared on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme, where he alleged that House of Representatives aspirants were required to pay ₦10 million while Senate aspirants were asked to pay ₦20 million. He further claimed that Obi personally supervised the preparation of a list of candidates at the Johnwood Hotel in Abuja and that some of the names included on the list belonged to individuals who either lost their primary elections or did not participate in the process.

According to Okonkwo, aspirants who challenged the legitimacy of the payments were allegedly informed by party officials that the directives originated from Obi and leaders of the party’s caucus structure.

Seeking to reinforce his claims, Okonkwo released screenshots of WhatsApp conversations he allegedly had with Obunike Ohaegbu, an NDC House of Representatives aspirant for the Nnewi North/South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency. The messages, shared on his X account, purportedly show Ohaegbu expressing dissatisfaction with the conduct of the party’s primary elections and the candidate selection process.

WhatsApp Evidence 1

In one of the conversations released by Okonkwo, Ohaegbu was allegedly quoted as making highly critical remarks about Obi’s role in the process. Other excerpts purportedly referenced allegations that candidate lists were prepared outside the formal primary election structure and included names of individuals who did not emerge victorious during the exercise.

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Okonkwo also cited a statement from the NDC national secretariat, signed by National Secretary Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, which acknowledged that the party relied on a leadership structure associated with Peter Obi and that the primary election process in Anambra State was coordinated by Obi’s political team. Okonkwo argues that the statement supports his claims regarding Obi’s influence over the selection process.

Expanding on the alleged financial demands, Okonkwo referred to comments previously made by Senator Seriake Dickson, who noted that political aspirants are generally expected to pay only for Expression of Interest forms before primary elections. According to Okonkwo, any additional financial demands before the conclusion of the primaries would be contrary to established procedures.

He maintained that House of Representatives aspirants were allegedly asked to pay ₦10 million while Senate aspirants were required to pay ₦20 million. He further claimed that Ohaegbu informed him that when concerns were raised with party officials regarding the payments, Obi and members of his caucus were identified as those responsible for authorising the collections.

However, the allegations have been strongly disputed by Ohaegbu himself. During an appearance on Channels Television, the aspirant publicly denied ever telling Okonkwo that Peter Obi directed him to pay ₦10 million. Ohaegbu stated that while he had heard allegations about a candidate list being prepared in a hotel, he never specifically accused Obi of personally demanding money from him.

His denial has raised fresh questions about the credibility of the WhatsApp screenshots released by Okonkwo and whether the messages accurately reflect the context of their conversations.

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Peter Obi’s legal team, led by Chief Alex Ejesieme (SAN) of Madiba Chambers, has since responded aggressively to the allegations. In a formal pre-litigation notice, the lawyers demanded an immediate retraction of all allegedly defamatory statements, a public apology across all platforms where the claims were published, a written undertaking to refrain from making similar allegations in the future, and ₦5 billion in damages.

WhatsApp Evidence2

The legal team identified several statements they consider defamatory, including allegations that Obi wrote candidate lists at the Johnwood Hotel, organised and collected bribes from aspirants, engaged in extortion and fraud, and received funds from undisclosed sources abroad. According to the lawyers, the allegations have caused serious damage to Obi’s reputation.

Despite the legal threat, Okonkwo has remained defiant. He has publicly called on anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to investigate the allegations.

The former Labour Party spokesman argued that as a lawyer and citizen, he has a responsibility to report any information suggesting criminal conduct. He insisted that anti-graft agencies should investigate the alleged transactions and determine whether aspirants were unlawfully compelled to part with money.

Legal observers say the dispute could evolve into a major courtroom battle. While Obi would need to prove that the allegations were false and damaging, Okonkwo could seek to rely on a defence of justification if he can demonstrate that his claims are substantially true.

At the same time, legal experts note that the publication of private WhatsApp conversations could raise separate privacy and evidentiary issues. Ohaegbu’s public denial of key allegations may also complicate Okonkwo’s defence if litigation proceeds.

With the seven-day deadline ticking, attention is now focused on whether Okonkwo will retract his statements or whether Peter Obi will proceed with legal action. As of the time of filing this report, neither side has shown any sign of backing down, setting the stage for what could become one of the most closely watched political and legal battles in Nigeria.

Okonkwo Releases Evidence Against Peter Obi as ₦5bn Defamation Battle Looms

2027: Babachir Lawal Reveals Why He Prefers Tinubu’s ‘Devil’ to Atiku’s Presidency

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has maintained that despite his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, he would still prefer Tinubu over former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election. Lawal made the statement on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he argued that if Nigerians are forced to choose between the two political figures, Tinubu remains the better option. He asserted that the country would fare worse under Atiku’s leadership compared to the current administration. “I have said it before: if the choice must be between Atiku and Tinubu, then despite the shortcomings of Tinubu’s administration, he would still be a far better president compared to what Atiku would bring Nigeria into,” Lawal stated. Using a striking metaphor to drive home his point, he added: “When you are faced with choosing between two devils, you pick the lesser one. Even among devils, there are different categories.” Lawal further elaborated on this comparative assessment, stating, “I believe that Bola Tinubu’s presidency, as bad as it is now on a comparative level, Tinubu would be an excellent President compared to what Atiku would plunge us into.”

Lawal’s comments come amid his recent attacks on Atiku following his dramatic exit from the African Democratic Congress (ADC). He had accused the party of conducting a heavily manipulated primary election that produced Atiku as its candidate. In his resignation statement, Lawal alleged that the ADC’s primary elections were “massively rigged” at all levels in favour of Atiku and his political allies. “Results were just written or rewritten to favour him and his coven. Even where they allowed some semblance of election to hold, the winners were simply replaced with members of his syndicate,” he claimed. The former SGF said he could not remain in what he described as a “rigging machine” ahead of the 2027 general elections. “I do not intend to be part of Kachalla Atiku’s rigging machine in the 2027 general elections,” Lawal wrote on his Facebook page.

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In a particularly sharp attack, Lawal repeatedly labelled Atiku as “Kachalla,” a term he claimed is a title traditionally bestowed upon bandit leaders. During the Channels Television interview, when asked why he adopted this moniker for the former Vice President, Lawal alleged a connection to the ongoing insecurity in the country. “Have you seen Atiku condemning bandit attacks?” Lawal questioned, explaining his rationale for the comparison. He also argued that supporting Atiku would inadvertently strengthen President Tinubu’s chances of securing a second term. “For me, working for Kachalla Atiku means giving Tinubu an automatic ticket to a second term, which gives me nightmares,” he stated.

In a striking admission about the dynamics of the 2027 election, Lawal warned that President Tinubu would be virtually unbeatable if electoral manipulation becomes the determining factor. “If the parameter for winning elections in Nigeria is rigging, nobody can face Bola Tinubu in this country,” he said. He added with dramatic effect: “If Atiku’s strength is in manipulating results, I wish him luck; he will meet the master rigger in front.” Lawal predicted that Tinubu would secure a “landslide” victory in 2027, claiming that no politician could match the President when it comes to navigating electoral contests.

Beyond his criticisms of Atiku, Lawal also expressed support for one of Atiku’s opponents in the ADC primary. He stated that Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, a former Managing Director of the defunct FSB International Bank and former Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), is more competent than Atiku. Asked whether Hayatu-Deen was more competent, Lawal responded emphatically: “Hayatu-Deen is more competent than Atiku. They can’t even be in the same boat. They are not on the same boat and are not possibly talking about the same sea.”

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In response to Lawal’s allegations, Atiku’s camp has launched a fierce counter-attack. Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar, dismissed Lawal’s claims as baseless and accused the former SGF of lacking the moral authority to speak on electoral integrity. Shaibu pointed to Lawal’s controversial tenure as SGF under former President Muhammadu Buhari, noting that he was removed from office in 2017 following his indictment in the alleged N544.1 million grass-cutting scandal. “Mr Lawal is not remembered for any celebrated crusade for accountability. Rather, he remains one of the most prominent public officials ever removed from office under the cloud of the infamous grass-cutting contract scandal,” Shaibu stated. The Atiku camp also questioned Lawal’s consistency, noting that he appeared willing to accept the same ADC primary process in Adamawa State, where his cousin, Omar Suleiman, emerged as the party’s governorship candidate. “Mr Lawal has also failed to explain how the very same primary process he now dismisses as fraudulent somehow produced a result he appears perfectly willing to accept in Adamawa State,” Shaibu said. He added that Lawal has “produced no documents, no verifiable facts, no credible witnesses, and no proof whatsoever to support his sensational allegations.”

The ADC had declared Atiku the winner of its presidential primary after he polled 1,846,370 votes. Former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi came second with 504,117 votes, while Mohammed Hayatu-Deen placed third with 177,120 votes. Both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen subsequently rejected the outcome and boycotted the announcement of the results.

Despite his strong criticisms of Atiku and his preference for Tinubu in a comparative sense, Lawal clarified that he is not currently backing any presidential hopeful, including former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi. “I am supporting nobody. I don’t want to be part of anything for now,” he stated. The former SGF said he would instead retire to his village to focus on farming and agriculture-related activities while consulting with like-minded colleagues on strategies to stop Atiku from winning the presidency in 2027.

Lawal’s resignation and comments come amid increasing political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections. President Tinubu has already secured the presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 election and is expected to face opposition from candidates of rival parties, including Atiku of the ADC and Peter Obi, who is now the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Party (NDC). In the 2023 general election, Tinubu was declared elected by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after polling 8,794,726 votes to defeat Atiku, who secured 6,984,520 votes, and Obi, who got 6,101,533 votes. As the 2027 election cycle gathers momentum, Lawal’s dramatic exit from the ADC and his blistering attacks on Atiku have added fresh tension to an already volatile political landscape. Whether his claims of primary manipulation will gain traction or be dismissed as sour grapes remains to be seen, but his metaphor of choosing the “lesser devil” has already ignited widespread debate across Nigeria’s political space.

2027: Babachir Lawal Reveals Why He Prefers Tinubu’s ‘Devil’ to Atiku’s Presidency