Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has demanded N5 billion in damages from Kenneth Okonkwo over allegations that he demanded a N10 million bribe from aspirants seeking elective offices in the party.
In a letter dated June 9 and signed by Alex Ejesieme, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who is Obi’s lawyer, Obi described the allegations as false, malicious, and defamatory.
BACKGROUND
The legal action follows comments made by Okonkwo during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on June 8, where he alleged that Obi and leaders of the NDC in the south-east demanded N10 million from aspirants seeking to contest for seats in the House of Representatives.
Okonkwo had claimed that the information was relayed to him by Ogbunike Ohaegbu, an aspirant for the Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo federal constituency seat on the platform of the NDC.
The former Obi ally also alleged that the former Anambra governor personally compiled the party’s list of candidates from John Wood hotel in Abuja, collected money from political aspirants to fund his presidential ambition, and was involved in what he described as a “criminal enterprise”.
He further said that anyone voting for Obi in 2027 would be supporting criminality.
However, Ohaegbu subsequently denied making such allegations against Obi.
Speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday, the NDC aspirant said Obi never asked him to pay N10 million and that he never told Okonkwo that the former governor demanded money from him.
“Peter Obi never told me to pay N10 million,” Ohaegbu said.
“I never told Kenneth Okonkwo that Peter Obi in any way told me to pay N10 million.”
In the pre-action notice, Obi’s lawyers accused Okonkwo of falsely portraying their client as a fraudster, scammer and criminal.
OBI’S DEMAND
The letter listed several allegedly defamatory claims, including that Obi demanded and collected bribes from aspirants, personally prepared candidate lists, travelled abroad to collect money, and was engaged in criminal activities alongside other NDC leaders.
According to the lawyers, the statements were intended to damage Obi’s reputation and lower him in the estimation of right-thinking members of society.
The legal team demanded that Okonkwo withdraw the allegations, publish an unreserved apology across the same platforms where the claims were made, and pay N5 billion as general, aggravated and exemplary damages.
They also requested a written undertaking that he would refrain from making further defamatory statements against Obi.
The lawyers warned that failure to comply within seven days would leave Obi with no option but to institute legal proceedings seeking damages and other reliefs before the court.
