BREAKING: Obi Drags Kenneth Okonkwo Before Anambra High Court [PHOTOS]
The presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has filed a suit before the High Court of Justice in Anambra State against politician and lawyer Kenneth Okonkwo over allegations of bribery and irregularities in the selection of party candidates.
Obi is challenging claims made by Okonkwo, which he described as false and defamatory.
The court action, filed within the Onitsha Judicial Division, formally began with the issuance of a writ of summons on June 25, 2026.
According to court documents seen by POLITICS NIGERIA, Obi is demanding a total of ₦8 billion in various damages, alongside a public retraction and a perpetual injunction against Okonkwo.
The dispute between the two began following Okonkwo’s appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program on June 8, 2026. During the live broadcast, Okonkwo allegedly claimed that Obi and other party leaders collected ₦10 million from House of Representatives aspirants seeking party tickets, and further alleged that Obi influenced candidate selections outside the formal primary election process.
In response to these claims, Obi’s legal team, led by Chief Alex Ejesieme (SAN), issued a seven-day ultimatum on June 9, 2026, demanding a retraction and an apology, warning that failure to comply would result in a lawsuit.
As detailed in the documents, because Okonkwo refused to retract the claims, Obi’s lawyers have now formally asked the court to award ₦5 billion in general damages for injury to Obi’s reputation, integrity, and political standing.
The suit also demands ₦2 billion in aggravated damages and ₦1 billion in exemplary damages due to the deliberate repetition of the claims on social media platforms. Furthermore, the writ seeks an order compelling Okonkwo to publish a full, unreserved, and unequivocal apology on Channels Television, his personal social media accounts, and three national daily newspapers.
Obi is also seeking a perpetual injunction to restrain Okonkwo or his agents from further publishing or circulating any statements that impute bribery, fraud, scam, or criminality against him. Obi explained that he decided to take legal action because serious allegations should be tested before a judge rather than debated in the media, especially since Okonkwo suggested he had additional information to reveal in the future.
