*Demands N5bn, Public Apology From Former Political Ally
THE presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in next year’s general elections, Peter Obi, has dragged his former political ally and Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, to court for alleged defamation, demanding N5billion in damages, following the ex-Nollywood actor’s bribery allegations against him during a live television interview on Monday, June 8.
The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections had, through his lawyers- Alex Ejesieme (SAN) & Co.- accused Okonkwo of making false allegations capable of damaging his reputation and public image.
In a letter dated June 9, and addressed to Okonkwo, Obi’s legal team demanded an immediate withdrawal of the statements, a public apology and a written undertaking against further publications.
According to the lawyers, Okonkwo alleged that Obi and leaders of the NDC in the Southeast geo-political zone demanded N10million from House of Representatives aspirants after they had paid the party’s official expression of interest fees, claiming to be in possession of documentary evidence, including receipts, to support the allegation.
The solicitors also accused the former spokesman of Obi’s campaign orgination in the 2023 election of further alleging that the former Anambra State governor personally compiled the party’s list of candidates from a hotel room, warning 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,” in the letter, titled, ‘Demand for immediate withdrawal of false, malicious and defamatory publications against Mr. Peter Obi, public apology and undertaking.”
The letter stated: “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.”
They stated that the statements were capable of portraying Obi as a corrupt and dishonest public figure and exposing him to public ridicule, maintaining that while individuals have a constitutional right to freedom of expression, such right “does not extend to the reckless destruction of another person’s reputation.”
Obi’s lawyers demanded that Okonkwo 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, and across Okonkwo’s social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and any other platform through which the defamatory statements were made, broadcast, reposted, circulated or amplified, as well as “ensure that the apology is given the same or greater prominence, visibility and circulation as the original defamatory publication.”
Obi is also seeking N5billion as general, aggravated and exemplary damages for the alleged injury caused to his reputation, character and public standing by the said false, malicious and defamatory statements, as well as “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.
