Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, has demanded N5 billion in damages and a public apology from actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo over alleged defamatory statements made during a television interview.
Obi also threatened Okonkwo with legal action and indicated that he could pursue higher damages if he does not meet the demands.
In a letter dated June 9, 2026, lawyers of the former Anambra State governor, led by Alex Ejesieme (SAN), accused Okonkwo of making false, malicious, and defamatory allegations against their client during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program on Monday, June 8.
The legal team stated that the remarks were subsequently published and circulated by several media organizations and online platforms.
According to the letter, Okonkwo allegedly claimed that “Obi, together with the leaders of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the South-East, informed the party’s aspirants that any person seeking to contest as a member of the House of Representatives must, after paying the prescribed expression of interest fee, pay a bribe of ten million naira (N10,000,000.00) to the NDC and to the caucus leaders.”
The lawyers also claimed that Okonkwo claimed there was documentary evidence of the payments, that Obi personally compiled the party’s list of candidates from a hotel room, warned aspirants that Obi would “scam” them, collected money from people abroad, and was involved in criminal activities alongside other party leaders.
The letter noted that the allegations portrayed Obi as a person engaged in bribery, extortion, fraud, financial dishonesty, and criminal conduct.
“The above statements, in their usual meaning and by necessary implication, wrongly and harmfully portray our client as someone who asks for, organizes, and takes bribes; who tricks and cheats political candidates out of their money; who is a con artist, a scammer, and an untrustworthy politician; and who, along with others, is involved in a criminal plot and is actively committing crimes,” the letter read.
The NDC chieftain’s legal team described the allegations as “false, baseless, malicious, reckless, defamatory, and wholly unsupported by any fact.”
They claimed that the words went beyond political criticism and were a direct attack on Obi’s integrity and public reputation.
The lawyers ordered that Okonkwo withdraw the statements within seven days of receiving the letter, publish an “unequivocal and unreserved” apology, and ensure that the apology is given equal or greater prominence than the initial publication.
The demand added: “Pay to our client, through our chambers, the sum of five billion naira (N5,000,000,000.00) only, as general, aggravated, and exemplary damages for the grave injury occasioned to his hard-earned reputation, character, and public standing by the said false, malicious, and defamatory statements; and
“Deliver to us a written undertaking that you shall stop from making, publishing, circulating, or causing to be published any further false, malicious, or defamatory statement concerning our client.”
The letter stated that failing to comply with the demands within the specified time frame will force Obi to seek legal remedy, including claims for damages, injunctive relief, public retraction, and legal fees.
“Take notice that should you fail, refuse, or neglect to comply with the above demands within the stipulated period, our Client shall be left with no option but to seek legal redress against you without further recourse to you,” the letter stated.
