Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has demanded N5 billion in damages from actor-turned-politician, Kenneth Okonkwo over alleged defamatory statements made during a television interview.
Obi, via his lawyers Chief Alex Ejesieme SAN & Co., in a letter dated June 9, 2026, and addressed to Okonkwo, accused Okonkwo of making false allegations capable of damaging his reputation and public image.
His said legal team demanded an immediate withdrawal of the statements, a public apology and a written undertaking against further publications.
The legal letter of demand followed comments allegedly made by Okonkwo during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on June 8, 2026.
As stated by the solicitors, Okonkwo alleged that Obi and leaders of the NDC in the South-East demanded a bribe of N10 million from House of Representatives aspirants after they had paid the party’s official expression of interest fees.
The lawyers further stated that Okonkwo claimed documentary evidence, including receipts, existed to support his claims.
They also accused him of alleging that Obi personally compiled the party’s list of candidates from a hotel room, warned aspirants that Obi would “scam” them, travelled abroad to collect money from people, and was involved in criminal activities alongside some party leaders.
The law firm described the statements as “false, baseless, malicious, reckless and wholly unsupported by any fact.”
The letter partly read: “The above statements, in their natural and ordinary meaning, and by necessary implication, falsely and maliciously represent our client as a person who demands, solicits, organises and collects bribes; who extorts, defrauds and swindles political aspirants of their money; who is a fraudster, a scammer and a dishonest political actor.”
The solicitors argued that the statements were capable of portraying Obi as a corrupt and dishonest public figure and exposing him to public ridicule.
They maintained that while individuals have a constitutional right to freedom of expression, such rights do not extend to making false allegations of criminal conduct against others.
“The right to freedom of expression does not extend to the reckless destruction of another person’s reputation,” the letter added.
Obi’s legal team demanded that Okonkwo must withdraw the statements within seven days and publish an “unequivocal and unreserved” apology through the same channels where the comments were allegedly made and circulated.
The lawyers also requested that the apology be published on Channels Television and across Okonkwo’s social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
In addition, Obi is seeking N5 billion as general, aggravated and exemplary damages for the alleged injury caused to his reputation.
It partly read: “Immediately withdraw the said false and defamatory statements in their entirety; publish a clear, unequivocal and unreserved public apology to our Client, Mr. Peter Obi;
“Publish the said withdrawal and apology, with equal prominence, through the same medium of the original broadcast and through all your social media handles and platforms, including but not limited to Channels Television, your X/Twitter handle, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and any other platform through which the defamatory statements were made, broadcast, reposted, circulated or amplified;
“Ensure that the apology is given the same or greater prominence, visibility and circulation as the original defamatory publication;
“Pay to our Client, through our Chambers, the sum of Five Billion Naira (N5,000,000,000.00) only, as general, aggravated and exemplary damages for the grave injury occasioned to his hard-earned reputation, character and public standing by the said false, malicious and defamatory statements; and
“Deliver to us a written undertaking that you shall cease and desist from making, publishing, circulating or causing to be published any further false, malicious or defamatory statement concerning our client.”
The letter warned that failure to comply with the demands within the stipulated period would result in legal action, including claims for damages, injunctive reliefs, public retractions and the cost of litigation.