The presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has taken legal action against his former ally and kinsman, Kenneth Okonkwo, over allegations made against him.
The lawsuit follows a series of accusations by Okonkwo after Obi’s departure from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a suit dated June 9, 2026, and filed by Obi’s lawyer, Chief Alex Ejesieme (SAN) of Alex Ejesieme (SAN) & Co. (Madiba Chambers), the former Anambra State governor described the allegations as false and damaging to his reputation.
According to the legal document, Okonkwo alleged that Obi and some NDC leaders in the South-East collected a ₦10 million bribe from House of Representatives aspirants.
The suit quoted Okonkwo as saying:
“(a) That our client, Mr. Peter 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 (₦10,000,000.00) to the NDC and to the caucus leaders;”
The legal document also listed other claims allegedly made by Okonkwo:
“(b) that the said unlawful demand was accompanied by documentary proof; the person who relayed the information to you having sent the said information together with the receipt evidencing the payment;
“(c) that our Client personally wrote and compiled the list of the party’s candidates from his hotel room at the Johnwood Hotel;
“(d) that you warned the said aspirants that our Client is going to scam them;
“(e) that our Client travels abroad to collect money from people; and
“(f) that our Client and the leaders of the NDC in the South-East are perpetuating criminality.”
Obi’s legal team rejected the allegations and argued that they were aimed at damaging his integrity, character and public image.
“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, organizes, 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.”
The lawyers also expressed concern over the widespread circulation of the statements on television and social media platforms.
“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 is 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 maintained that freedom of expression does not give anyone the right to damage another person’s reputation through false claims.
Among its demands, the legal team asked Okonkwo to immediately withdraw the statements and issue a clear, unequivocal and unreserved public apology to 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 will cease making or publishing further defamatory statements against their client, alongside a financial compensation package,” the legal team stated.
