Kenneth Okonkwo stands firm against Peter Obi's N5bn lawsuit threat

A leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has made it clear that he will not take back his comments about the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi.

Reports say Mr Obi, who is a former governor of Anambra State, has threatened to sue Mr Okonkwo for N5 billion if he does not withdraw his statements, pay the N5 billion as compensation, and issue a public apology within a week.

In a letter sent to Mr Okonkwo on June 9, Mr Obi claimed that the ADC leader defamed him by saying he took N10 million from House of Representatives aspirants. Mr Obi also accused Mr Okonkwo of writing a list of candidates for different federal constituencies in the South-east.

Mr Okonkwo used to be a spokesperson for Mr Obi when they were both in the Labour Party.

‘I stand by my words’

In his response, dated June 16 and signed by his lawyer V. I. Uma, Mr Okonkwo insisted he would not back down. He said he spoke out after hearing from NDC aspirants who claimed they were cheated and extorted by the NDC South-east group led by Mr Obi.

“Our Client (Mr Okonkwo) denies that he defamed your client (Mr Obi) in any manner whatsoever and asserts that his statements reflect the true situation,” the letter said.

“Our Client (Mr Okonkwo) stands by the truth of everything he said on Channels TV. He spoke based on information from the aspirants, NDC, and other Nigerians to expose transactional politics, ticket racketeering, and extortion,” the letter added.

Mr Okonkwo shared the letter on his X account on Wednesday night. He attributed most of his comments on Channels TV to a House of Representatives aspirant in Anambra State, Obunike Ohaegbu, and a few other NDC aspirants in the South-east.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Mr Ohaegbu, while on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily last week, said he never told Mr Okonkwo any such thing.

“I am telling you that Peter Obi never told me to pay N10 million. I never told Kenneth Okonkwo that Peter Obi, in any way, told me to pay N10 million,” he said.

Mr Ohaegbu also said he never accused the NDC South-east group of bribery and did not say that Mr Obi made a list of candidates in a hotel. He stressed that both he and Mr Obi are “victims” of what Mr Okonkwo claimed.

‘Disclosure of my personal phone number distasteful’

Mr Okonkwo also called it “distasteful” that his personal phone number was revealed in the letter from Mr Obi. He noted that the NDC candidate and his lawyers put it on social media without informing him first.

“This action is a data breach against our Client and disrespects our Client’s (Mr Okonkwo) right to privacy,” he said.

Mr Okonkwo believes this was done to send a message to his followers to attack him online and possibly harm him physically. He added that he has faced “tremendous attacks on his person” since his number was exposed and has “incurred serious damages” as a result.

“Take notice that appropriate remedies at the right time will be sought for this intentional and harmful act against our Client (Mr Okonkwo),” the letter stated.