‘I Stand By My Claims’ – Okonkwo Rejects Peter Obi’s Demand For Apology

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has rejected a demand by the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, to retract comments he made regarding the party’s primary election process.

Naija News reports that Okonkwo insisted that he would not withdraw the statements he made during a recent interview on Channels Television, maintaining that his comments were based on complaints brought to him by party aspirants and other sources.

The dispute follows allegations made by Okonkwo during an appearance on Sunrise Daily, where he claimed that some aspirants in the NDC were asked to pay money to secure party tickets.

Following the interview, Obi, through his lawyer, Alex Ejesieme (SAN), issued a pre-action notice demanding a retraction, public apology and ₦5 billion in damages.

The former Anambra State governor described the allegations as false, malicious and defamatory.

However, in a response dated June 16, Okonkwo, through his solicitors at Supreme God Chambers, denied defaming Obi.

“The kernel of your letter is that our Client defamed your Client through the interview on Channels Television on 8 June 2026,” the lawyers stated.

“Our Client denies that he defamed your Client in any manner whatsoever and expressly assert that his position on the issues he expressed reflects the true position of the matters so reflected.”

According to Okonkwo’s legal team, the comments were based on information allegedly provided by an NDC House of Representatives aspirant from Anambra State, Obunike Ohaegbu, and other party members.

The lawyers claimed that Ohaegbu approached Okonkwo seeking assistance in recovering ₦10 million allegedly paid during the party’s nomination process.

According to the response, the aspirant believed he had secured the ticket after making the payment but was later directed to participate in direct primaries.

The letter further alleged that Ohaegbu blamed Obi for the development and encouraged Okonkwo to bring the matter to public attention.

Okonkwo’s lawyers also referred to complaints allegedly made by other aspirants, including OAU Onyema, a former senatorial aspirant in Enugu State.

The response claimed that some aspirants paid various sums during the screening and nomination process and later felt deceived by party officials.

The legal team argued that Okonkwo acted within his rights as a lawyer, politician and public affairs analyst by raising concerns about the complaints.

“Our Client stands by the truth of all he declared on Channels TV,” the lawyers stated.

“The whole idea of his speaking on Channels TV, which information he received from the aspirants, NDC, and other Nigerians, is to expose transactional politics, ticket racketeering, extortion of aspirants, misleading representations, false pretense, undue influence and coercive pressure.”

Okonkwo’s legal team also accused Obi’s camp of publishing his personal telephone number after the pre-action notice became public.

The lawyers described the action as a violation of privacy and alleged that it exposed their client to harassment and attacks.