Peter Obi Vows to Pursue Defamation Suit Against Kenneth Okonkwo Over Corruption Allegations

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has reaffirmed his determination to pursue legal action against actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo over allegations of corruption and irregularities during the party’s primary election process.

Obi made the declaration during an exclusive interview with Nevon Media, where he addressed the growing controversy surrounding claims made by his former ally regarding the conduct of NDC primaries and candidate selection processes.

According to Obi, the decision to initiate legal proceedings was not solely based on the allegations already made by Okonkwo, but also on the latter’s public insistence that he possesses additional damaging information which he intends to reveal in the future.

Speaking on the matter, Obi said he welcomed the opportunity for the allegations to be subjected to judicial scrutiny.

“The issue of taking Kenneth Okonkwo to court wouldn’t have arisen if he had stopped at those allegations. But he claimed he still has more he would expose about me in the future. So I am very happy to take him to court so that he can expose me publicly, alongside other Nigerians. If any of them has any criminal allegations against me, they should bring it to court,” Obi stated.

The dispute stems from comments made by Okonkwo during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme, where he alleged that aspirants seeking seats in the House of Representatives were compelled to pay ₦10 million each to secure party tickets during the NDC’s internal electoral process.

The allegations sparked widespread debate and prompted Obi’s legal team to issue a ₦5 billion defamation notice, demanding a retraction of the claims and warning of possible legal consequences.

In response, Okonkwo rejected the allegations of defamation and proceeded to release what he described as documentary evidence intended to support his claims.

Among the materials he published on social media were screenshots of conversations allegedly exchanged with an NDC aspirant identified as Obunike Ohaegbu.

According to Okonkwo, the aspirant privately accused Obi of masterminding an alleged extortion scheme within the party.

He quoted the aspirant as describing the former Anambra State governor as “the head, stomach and feet of the criminal gang,” a statement that further intensified the public dispute between both men.

Okonkwo also alleged that Obi personally influenced the selection of candidates for elective positions, claiming that individuals who neither won nor participated in the party primaries were eventually listed as official candidates.

The former NDC chieftain specifically alleged that candidate selections were made during meetings held at a hotel in Abuja, where certain names were allegedly inserted into the party’s list of candidates.

Questioning the legitimacy of the process, Okonkwo claimed that some candidates who emerged from party primaries were allegedly replaced with individuals favoured by influential party figures.

“Please tell me, if a person said that Peter Obi was writing a list of aspirants in John Wood Hotel, Abuja, who didn’t win election in NDC, to become candidates for NDC, what else is criminality?” Okonkwo wrote.

He further alleged that the name of Senator Victor Umeh was included as a candidate despite claims that he did not emerge victorious in the relevant party process.

Okonkwo also maintained that when party members questioned the alleged financial demands placed on aspirants, officials at the party secretariat reportedly pointed to Obi and other caucus leaders as being responsible for the decisions.

The controversy marks a significant escalation in the fallout between Obi and Okonkwo, who were once close political associates during previous election campaigns.

Political observers believe the impending legal battle could provide a platform for both sides to present evidence and defend their positions before the court, potentially shedding more light on the allegations and counter-allegations that have continued to generate public interest.

As the dispute unfolds, attention is expected to focus on whether Okonkwo can substantiate his claims and whether Obi’s legal action will result in a judicial determination of the allegations that have dominated discussions within opposition political circles.