“False, Malicious And Defamatory” — Peter Obi Files N5bn Suit Against Kenneth Okonkwo Over Alleged Ticket-Racketeering Claims

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has filed a N5 billion defamation suit against his former political ally and actor-turned-politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, over alleged defamatory statements made against him.

The suit was reportedly filed on Thursday at the Onitsha Judicial Division of the Anambra State High Court, following the expiration of an earlier seven-day ultimatum issued to Okonkwo by Obi’s legal team.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, had through his lawyers demanded that Okonkwo retract the alleged defamatory statements, issue a public apology and pay N5 billion as general, aggravated and exemplary damages for alleged injury to his reputation.

The dispute followed comments allegedly made by Okonkwo during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, where he was said to have accused Obi and leaders of the NDC in the South-East of demanding N10 million from aspirants seeking House of Representatives tickets after payment of the official expression of interest fee.

Okonkwo was also alleged to have claimed that there was documentary evidence of the payments, that Obi personally compiled the party’s list of candidates from a hotel room, and that aspirants were warned that Obi would allegedly “scam” them.

Obi’s legal team, led by Chief Alex Ejesieme, SAN, described the allegations as false, malicious, reckless and defamatory, insisting that the statements portrayed the former Anambra governor as a person involved in bribery, extortion, fraud, financial dishonesty and criminal conduct.

The lawyers argued that the comments went beyond legitimate political criticism and amounted to a direct attack on Obi’s integrity, character and public standing.

They had warned that failure by Okonkwo to comply with the demands within seven days would leave Obi with no option but to seek legal redress, including damages, injunctive reliefs, public retraction, apology and cost of proceedings.

Okonkwo, however, rejected the demand. In a response through his lawyer, V.I. Uma, dated June 16, he maintained that he stood by his statements and denied defaming Obi.

The ADC chieftain claimed that his comments were based on complaints he allegedly received from NDC aspirants who accused the party’s South-East caucus of ticket racketeering and extortion.

Okonkwo, who served as a spokesperson for Obi during the 2023 presidential election campaign under the Labour Party, also challenged Obi to proceed to court, insisting that he would not retract his words.

The filing of the suit marks a major escalation in the public feud between the two former allies, whose relationship has deteriorated amid disagreements over opposition politics and party affairs ahead of the 2027 elections.