Alleged defamation: Obi files writ of summons against ex-spokesman, Okonkwo, at Anambra court
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has taken his dispute with his former campaign spokesman, Kenneth Okonkwo, to court, filing a writ of summons against him at the High Court of Anambra State, Onitsha Judicial Division.
The suit with reference number O/229/26, names Obi as plaintiff and Okonkwo as defendant which stems from allegations Okonkwo made against the former Anambra governor during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on June 8, 2026, where he claimed Obi demanded money from NDC aspirants to clinch tickets, an accusation which Obi’s legal team has described as false, malicious, baseless and defamatory.
The writ, issued by Alex Ejesieme of Alex Ejesieme SAN & Co. (Madiba Chambers), commands Okonkwo to enter an appearance in court within 42 days of being served, failing which judgment may be entered against him in his absence. It was dated June 25, 2026, and is to be served on Okonkwo at his address in Ofuluonu, Nsukka, Enugu State.
A writ of summons is a court document used in civil litigation to formally kick off a lawsuit. It commands the defendant to appear in court and notifies them of the plaintiff’s claims and the specific remedies damages being sought.
Among the reliefs sought, Obi is asking the court for an order compelling Okonkwo to keep any retraction and apology permanently and prominently displayed on his social media accounts, including pinning it where platforms allow, without deletion or restriction for as long as the account remains active. He is also seeking an order directing Okonkwo to delete every post, interview, video, caption or comment containing the disputed remarks from all platforms under his control, alongside a perpetual injunction barring him from repeating allegations of bribery, fraud, scam, theft, extortion or criminal conduct against Obi. The suit further asks for costs and post-judgment interest of 10 per cent per annum on any monetary award until full payment.
Okonkwo served as one of Obi’s presidential campaign spokespersons in 2023 but their relationship deteriorated after the 2023 elections, with Okonkwo repeatedly criticising Obi’s political decisions, leadership style and direction, and the rift widened further this year.
Obi’s lawyers had earlier, in a letter dated June 9, accused Okonkwo of claiming on air that Obi and NDC leaders in the South-East had demanded a N10 million payment from House of Representatives aspirants after they had already paid the party’s official expression-of-interest fees, and of alleging that Obi personally compiled candidate lists from a hotel room and collected money from people abroad. That letter had demanded a retraction, public apology and N5 billion in damages within seven days.
Okonkwo rejected the allegations in a response issued through his lawyers on June 16, insisting his comments were based on information supplied by an aggrieved NDC aspirant and accusing Obi of attempting to “distract and cow” him from exposing alleged wrongdoing in the party’s primaries.
