The High Court of Anambra State, Onitsha Judicial Division, has formally served a writ on Nollywood actor, lawyer and politician Kenneth Okonkwo, commanding him to appear before the court and submit all evidence and proofs he claims to possess against former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

The development marks a significant escalation in a bitter and very public fallout between two men who were once among the closest allies in Nigerian opposition politics.

The suit, filed by Obi’s legal counsel, Chief Alex Ejesieme (SAN) of Madiba Chambers, originated from statements allegedly made by Okonkwo during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on June 8, 2026. During the broadcast, Okonkwo allegedly claimed that Peter Obi, alongside leaders of the NDC in the South-East, demanded a bribe of ₦10 million from House of Representatives aspirants seeking party nomination tickets over and above the official expression of interest fee already paid. He further alleged that documentary evidence existed to support the claim, including text messages and payment receipts provided by an aspirant for the Nnewi North-South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency.

The allegations did not stop there. Okonkwo was also accused of claiming that Obi personally compiled the party’s list of candidates from a hotel room at Johnwood Hotel in Abuja, that he warned aspirants Obi would swindle them, that Obi collected money from individuals abroad, and that both Obi and senior NDC leaders in the South-East were actively perpetuating criminality. The statements were subsequently amplified across multiple media platforms, social media channels and YouTube, dramatically widening their reach and impact.

Obi’s legal team rejected all the allegations outright, describing them as false, baseless, malicious and entirely unsupported by fact. The lawyers argued that the remarks went far beyond the boundaries of acceptable political commentary and constituted a direct, calculated assault on Obi’s character, integrity and hard-earned public reputation. They noted that the statements were particularly damaging given that they were broadcast live on national television before being republished and circulated widely online.

In the formal demands filed before the court, Obi is seeking general damages of ₦5 billion, aggravated damages of ₦2 billion, exemplary damages of ₦1 billion, and post-judgment interest at the rate of ten percent per annum until full liquidation. The court also seeks a perpetual injunction restraining Okonkwo from further publishing, broadcasting, posting or distributing any substantially similar allegations against Obi. Additionally, the writ requires Okonkwo to enter an appearance at the High Court within 42 days of being served.

The case carries special weight given the history between the two men. Okonkwo was one of the most visible and vocal faces of the Obidient movement during Obi’s 2023 Labour Party presidential campaign, famously appearing on television to defend and promote his principal at every turn. The relationship began to fracture after the elections, with Okonkwo growing increasingly critical of Obi’s political decisions, including his departure from the African Democratic Congress coalition to join the newly formed NDC. In one particularly pointed television interview, Okonkwo described Obi and former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso as political conmen for abandoning the coalition.

Obi, for his part, has made clear that the lawsuit was not simply a response to the June 8 broadcast but was triggered by Okonkwo’s suggestion that he still had further damaging revelations to make in the future. Speaking during a podcast interview, Obi said he had actually welcomed the litigation because it would force any alleged evidence into the open for proper judicial scrutiny. He extended the challenge beyond Okonkwo, calling on any Nigerian with criminal allegations against him to bring them to court publicly. Okonkwo had initially dismissed the demand letter, posting on X that he had not yet read it, while suggesting that a courtroom battle could end up exposing sensitive information from his time as Obi’s spokesperson.