Court Clears Path For Obi’s N8bn Defamation Suit Against Okonkwo
Peter Obi’s N8 billion defamation suit against his former campaign spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, can now proceed after an Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha granted the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate leave to serve court processes on the actor turned politician through substituted means.
Justice D.A. Onyefulu gave the order on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in Suit No. O/229/2026, following an ex parte application moved by Obi’s counsel, Chisom Ibemesi, of the legal team led by Chief Alex Ejesieme, SAN. The court acted after an affidavit deposed to by the court bailiff showed that repeated attempts to personally serve Okonkwo had failed.
The judge directed that the writ of summons and all accompanying processes be served by pasting them at Okonkwo’s last known residential address in Nsukka, Enugu State, or by delivering them to any adult found at the residence. The court further ordered that photographs of the service be taken and filed as proof of compliance, with the exercise to be completed within seven days.
The application was brought pursuant to Sections 6 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution and the Anambra State High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2019. The writ, already endorsed for service outside Anambra State, requires Okonkwo to enter an appearance within 42 days of being served or risk judgment in his absence.
The suit stems from remarks Okonkwo, now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, made during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on June 8, 2026. He alleged that Obi and the south east caucus of the NDC demanded N10 million from House of Representatives aspirants who had already paid the party’s expression of interest fees, and that Obi personally compiled the party’s candidate list from a hotel room in Abuja rather than conduct credible primaries.
Okonkwo attributed much of the claim to Obunike Ohaegbu, an NDC House of Representatives aspirant for Nnewi North South and Ekwusigo Constituency, who he said sent him a message and a receipt. Ohaegbu, however, later appeared on the same station to deny paying Obi N10 million or accusing him of collecting any bribe, describing himself and Obi as victims of the allegations.
Obi’s lawyers, in a pre action letter dated June 9, demanded a retraction, a public apology in two national newspapers, and N5 billion in damages within seven days. Okonkwo, through a June 16 reply signed by his lawyer, V.I. Uma, rejected the demands, insisting his comments were based on information from aggrieved aspirants and amounted to fair comment on matters of public interest. He accused Obi of seeking to distract and intimidate him from exposing alleged wrongdoing in the party’s primaries.
Obi subsequently filed the suit on June 25, seeking N5 billion in general damages, N2 billion in aggravated damages over the persistence of the publications, and N1 billion in exemplary damages. He also wants a perpetual injunction barring Okonkwo from repeating the allegations, the deletion of all related posts, and a pinned apology on the defendant’s social media accounts.
The dispute marks a dramatic collapse of a once close political alliance. Okonkwo served as a spokesperson for Obi’s Labour Party presidential campaign in 2023 but has since become one of his most vocal critics, with the rift widening as both men aligned with rival opposition platforms ahead of the 2027 general election. With substituted service now authorised, the substantive hearing of the case is expected to commence once service is completed and Okonkwo responds.