Defamation: Peter Obi Files ₦8 Billion Lawsuit Against Kenneth Okonkwo

Kenneth Okonkwo and Peter Obi

Defamation: Peter Obi Files ₦8 Billion Lawsuit Against Kenneth Okonkwo

Former Labour Party presidential candidate demands damages over claims he defrauded House of Representatives aspirants

Former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has filed an ₦8 billion defamation lawsuit against his former spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, over allegations made during a television interview that Mr. Obi described as false, malicious, and damaging to his reputation. The suit, filed at the Onitsha Judicial Division of the Anambra State High Court and marked O/229/26, follows the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to Okonkwo to retract the statements, issue a public apology, and pay compensation.

The dispute stems from comments Okonkwo made during an appearance on Channels Television on June 8, 2026, where he alleged that Obi demanded ₦10 million bribes from House of Representatives aspirants and personally compiled the list of candidates for federal constituencies in the South-East. Okonkwo, now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) , repeated the allegations on social media, prompting Obi’s legal team to take action. According to court documents, Obi issued a pre-action notice dated June 9, 2026, through his lawyer, Chief Alex Ejesieme (SAN) , demanding a retraction, apology, and ₦5 billion in compensation. However, in a response dated June 16, 2026, Okonkwo’s lawyer, V.I. Uma, rejected the demands, with Okonkwo maintaining that he stood by his allegations.

In the writ of summons dated June 25, 2026, Obi is seeking a total of ₦8 billion in damages, structured as follows: ₦5 billion for general damages, cited as injury to his reputation, integrity, political standing, and goodwill; ₦2 billion for aggravated damages, due to the continued repetition and wide circulation of the allegations after receiving the pre-action notice; and ₦1 billion for exemplary damages, for what Obi describes as the deliberate amplification and repetition of the claims on social media.

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Beyond monetary compensation, Obi is asking the court for several additional orders. He seeks an order for Okonkwo to publish a full, unreserved, and unequivocal apology within seven days of judgment on Channels Television and its YouTube platform, all his social media accounts, and in three national newspapers. He is also asking the court to direct Okonkwo to delete all alleged defamatory publications from his social media platforms and websites under his control. Furthermore, the suit seeks a perpetual injunction from the court to restrain Okonkwo and his agents from making or circulating similar statements against Obi in the future. The suit also seeks the cost of the action and 10% annual post-judgment interest on any monetary award.

A central aspect of the dispute involves Obunike Ohaegbu, a House of Representatives aspirant whom Okonkwo claimed had informed him of the alleged bribery. However, Ohaegbu publicly denied Okonkwo’s claims during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on June 9, 2026. He stated clearly that Peter Obi never told him to pay ₦10 million and that he never told Kenneth Okonkwo that Peter Obi, in any way, told him to pay ₦10 million. He also denied accusing the NDC South-East caucus of bribery or claiming that Obi compiled candidates’ names at a hotel in Abuja.

Okonkwo has remained defiant, publicly dismissing the initial ₦5 billion threat. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he suggested Obi should privately ask him for assistance for his campaign rather than come from extortion. He also warned that legal action would be unwise as he holds confidential information from his time as Obi’s spokesperson. The political background between the two men is significant, as Obi and Okonkwo were once close allies in the Labour Party (LP) during the 2023 presidential campaign, where Okonkwo served as Obi’s spokesperson. Both later moved to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) , but Obi subsequently left for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) , where he emerged as the party’s 2027 presidential candidate. Since then, Okonkwo has become one of Obi’s most vocal critics.

The court has authorized service of the writ on Okonkwo in Enugu State, where he resides, and he has been given 42 days to enter an appearance in court. The case is expected to be a significant legal test of political speech and defamation in Nigeria’s increasingly polarized political landscape.