11/06/2026
Peter Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has threatened to take legal action against his former ally, Kenneth Okonkwo, over allegations of bribery, and is seeking N5 billion in damages. According to a pre-action letter signed by his lawyer, Alex Ejesieme (SAN), Obi accused Okonkwo of making false and defamatory claims during an appearance on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily programme. Okonkwo had alleged that Obi and members of the NDC's South-East caucus demanded N10 million from House of Representatives aspirants in exchange for party tickets, claiming an aspirant from Anambra State, Obunike Ohaegbu, accused Obi of collecting the money. However, Ohaegbu has since denied making the claims, stating on the same programme that Obi never asked him to pay N10 million and that he never told Okonkwo otherwise. Obi's lawyers described the allegations as reckless and damaging, portraying him as a fraudster, extortionist, and participant in criminal activities. Obi has demanded that Okonkwo retract the statements, issue a public apology on Channels Television and across his social media platforms, and pay N5 billion as compensation for the alleged damage to his reputation. He also requested a written undertaking that similar allegations would not be repeated, warning that failure to comply within seven days would leave him no choice but to seek legal redress in court.
