Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has issued a formal demand for N5bn in damages and a public apology from actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo over statements he alleges are false and defamatory.

In a letter sent by his legal team led by Alex Ejesieme SAN, Obi accused Okonkwo of making grave allegations during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily. The comments, later reproduced across multiple media platforms, allegedly linked Obi to bribery, extortion and criminal conduct in the management of his party’s nomination process.

According to the letter, Okonkwo claimed that Obi and NDC leaders in the South East instructed aspirants for the House of Representatives to pay a N10m bribe after purchasing expression of interest forms. Okonkwo was also said to have alleged that there was documentary evidence of such payments, that Obi personally compiled the party’s candidate list from a hotel room, and that he “scammed” aspirants and collected money from supporters abroad.

Obi’s lawyers argued that these assertions portrayed their client as a fraudster and dishonest political actor engaged in criminal conspiracy. They described the remarks as false, baseless, malicious and reckless, insisting they went far beyond normal political criticism and directly attacked Obi’s integrity and public standing.

The letter demanded that Okonkwo, within seven days of receipt, retract the statements, issue an “unequivocal and unreserved” apology, and ensure that the apology receives at least the same prominence as the original broadcast and subsequent publications. It also asked for a written undertaking that he would desist from making further defamatory statements.

Failure to comply, the lawyers warned, would prompt Obi to initiate court proceedings seeking damages, injunctive reliefs, a public retraction and costs.

Okonkwo, a former spokesperson for Obi’s presidential campaign, responded in a post on his X handle, dismissing the demand and mocking the N5bn claim. He said he had not yet read the letter in full but promised to respond formally after doing so, adding that it would be “a shame” if Obi and his lawyers failed to pursue the matter in court.

He further suggested that any legal battle could open the door to disclosures about his time as Obi’s spokesperson, warning that suing a former aide for defamation would be “very unwise.”