By Adesina Soyooye
Finally, Nollywood Actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, who is also a Lawyer and Politician, has been given an opportunity to prove, in Court, all the allegations, he has, for months, been heaping on Peter Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, former 2019 Vice Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, and the 2027 Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.
For months on end, Okonkwo, who, in 2023, had praised Obi to high heavens, has taken up the job of running him down as if his life depended on that; as if his success in politics depends on how much he destroys Obi’s image and credibility. This, to the shock of not a few people, including, allegedly, his new bosses, who unconfirmed reports say are taken aback by the ferocity of Okonkwo’s constant attack on Obi.
For these many months of the attacks which, atimes, border on outright personal insults, Obi had kept blind eyes and deaf ears. But no longer. He has finally taken action.
Obi’s about-turn stems from Okonkwo’s most recent attack which accused him of, among other sundry issues, bribery, corruption and rigging – all during the just concluded Primary elections of the NDC.
Okonkwo made these scandalous allegations when he appeared on a Channels Television’s interview programme, June 8, 2026.
The allegations of bribery, especially, touched a raw nerve in Obi according to sources close to him, even as he is shocked that anybody could accuse him of scamming aspirants and corrupting a political process. He, therefore, briefed his lawyers who have now written to Okonkwo.
In the letter to him dated June 9, 2026, written by Obi’s Legal Team headed by Chief Alex Ejesieme, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Okonkwo was issued a seven-day ultimatum to retract what the letter described as false and defamatory allegations made against Obi, or face a ₦5 billion lawsuit.
According to the letter which was addressed to Okonkwo, Obi’s Legal team is stung by the series of statements made by Okonkwo during the Channels Television’s interview which, thereafter, were carried by several media organisations and social media platforms.
The allegations claimed that Obi and leaders of the NDC in the South-East asked for, and received monetary payments from aspirants seeking elective offices under the NDC.
Okonkwo was accused by the Legal Team, of making “false, baseless, malicious, reckless and defamatory” allegations which portrayed Obi as a politician involved in bribery, extortion, fraud and other criminal activities.
According to the letter, Okonkwo had alleged that House of Representatives aspirants were required to pay ₦10 million to party leaders after purchasing nomination forms. Okonkwo, said the letter, further claimed that Obi personally compiled candidates’ lists from a hotel room and warned aspirants that they were being deceived by Obi.
Obi’s lawyers also took exception to Okonkwo’s allegations that Obi travelled abroad to collect money from individuals and that he, alongside South-East NDC leaders, was involved in criminal conduct.
“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, organises 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,” the letter read.
Describing the allegations as “extremely grave, damaging and reckless,” the legal team insisted that the claims were entirely unsupported by facts and designed to tarnish Obi’s reputation.
“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 political leader.” said the letter.
Below, the full text of the letter to Okonkwo by Obi’s Legal Team.
“The right to freedom of expression does not extend to the reckless destruction of another person’s reputation” the letter to Okonkwo stated.
Therefore, Obi is demanding the immediate withdrawal by Okonkwo of the statements. He also demanded that Okonkwo publishes an “unequivocal and unreserved” apology, which will receive the same or greater publicity as the original comments across television, social media and other platforms where the allegations were circulated.
Obi is also demanding ₦5 billion as general, aggravated and exemplary damages for what his Legal Team describe as the injury caused to his reputation, character and public standing.
Okonkwo, in addition, is required to provide a written undertaking that he would cease making or publishing further defamatory statements against Obi.
Finally, the legal team warned that failure to comply within seven days by Okonkwo would leave Obi with no option but to institute legal proceedings seeking damages, injunctive reliefs, public retractions and the full cost of litigation.
“Should you fail, refuse or neglect to comply with the above demands within the stipulated period, our Cli
ent shall be left with no option than to seek legal redress against you without further recourse to you.”
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