An Anambra State High Court has directed former Labour Party chieftain and actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo to appear before it and substantiate allegations he made against the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, in a defamation suit that has intensified the political fallout between the former allies.
The court’s writ of summons follows a lawsuit filed by Obi after Okonkwo publicly alleged that the former Anambra State governor demanded ₦10 million from House of Representatives aspirants in the South-East seeking the NDC’s nomination for the 2027 general elections. Okonkwo also claimed that documentary evidence, including receipts, existed to support the allegations and further alleged that Obi personally compiled the party’s list of candidates from a hotel in Abuja.
In the writ, the court ordered Okonkwo to enter an appearance and defend the allegations before the court. The case is expected to determine whether the claims were defamatory or supported by credible evidence. No judgment has been delivered on the merits of the allegations.
The legal action stems from comments made by Okonkwo during a television interview in June, prompting Obi’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Alex Ejesieme, to issue a pre-action letter demanding an immediate retraction of the statements, a public apology on national television and social media platforms, as well as monetary damages for alleged injury to Obi’s reputation. When the demands were not met, Obi proceeded to file a defamation suit before the Anambra State High Court.
As part of the proceedings, the court later granted Obi permission to serve court documents on Okonkwo through substituted means after repeated attempts by court bailiffs to personally serve him proved unsuccessful. Justice D.A. Onyefulu ordered that the originating processes be pasted at Okonkwo’s last known residence in Nsukka, Enugu State, or delivered to any adult found at the address, with photographic evidence of the service to be filed before the court.
Reacting to the suit, Okonkwo maintained that he had not been personally served with the court documents at the time and dismissed the legal action as an attempt to silence him. He insisted that he stood by his allegations and indicated he would respond appropriately once formally served.
The dispute marks a dramatic deterioration in the relationship between Obi and Okonkwo, who worked closely during the 2023 presidential election, when the latter served as one of Obi’s campaign spokespersons. Their political alliance has since collapsed following disagreements over strategy and subsequent defections to different political platforms.
Political observers believe the high-profile defamation suit could become one of the most closely watched legal battles ahead of the 2027 general elections, given the prominence of both men in Nigeria’s opposition politics. The case is also expected to test the legal threshold for proving allegations of corruption and misconduct made against public figures.
With the court now requiring Okonkwo to defend his claims, attention will shift to the evidence presented during the proceedings. The outcome could have significant legal and political implications for both parties, while reinforcing the role of the courts in resolving disputes arising from public allegations and political campaigns.
