Peter Obi threatens N5bn suit against Kenneth Okonkwo over ‘defamatory comments’ made on live TV

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi has threatened a lawsuit against famous actor Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), over alleged defamatory comments.

In a pre-notice letter, the former Anambra governor asked Okonkwo to publish an unreserved apology letter over the comments he made during an interview on Channels Television on Monday, June 8.

During the said interview, Okonkwo alleged that Obi and the south-east caucus of the NDC demanded bribes from House of Representatives and Senate hopefuls of the party in return for tickets. Okonkwo alleged that Obunike Ohaegbu, the NDC aspirant for House of Representatives ticket in Anambra, sent in a message alleging Obi scammed him of N10 million for the ticket.

On Tuesday, Ohaegbu appeared on the same television programme to deny allegations that Obi collected N10 million as bribe from him. The house of representatives aspirant said he paid N10 million to the NDC bank account based on the information he received from the party’s national secretary and not to Obi.

In a pre-notice letter signed by Alex Ejesieme, a senior advocate of Nigeria, Obi said Okonkwo’s comments were “extremely grave, damaging and reckless imputations of bribery, extortion, fraud, financial dishonesty and criminality” directed at his reputation. He said the comments 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.

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.”

The presidential candidate asked Okonkwo to withdraw the “false and defamatory statements” and publish an unreserved apology on Channels Television, X, and other social media platforms. He also asked Okonkwo to pay the sum of N5 billion “as general, aggravated and exemplary damages for the grave injury occasioned to his hard-earned reputation”.

The presidential candidate said he will seek legal redress if Okonkwo fails to comply with the demands within the stipulated time.