Okonkwo refuses to retract Peter Obi corruption allegations

Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, has formally rejected a demand from Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi to retract allegations of corruption and pay billions in damages, escalating a legal dispute between the former political allies. Okonkwo’s legal team issued a reply letter dated June 16, 2026, stating he stands by comments he made during a June 8 interview on Channels Television.

The conflict stems from Okonkwo’s appearance on the program "Sunrise Daily," where he alleged that some NDC aspirants were asked to pay money to secure party tickets during primary elections. He specifically claimed that House of Representatives aspirants were defrauded of 10 million naira each and accused Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, of involvement. In response, Obi’s lawyer sent a pre-action letter on June 9, demanding a public retraction, a public apology, and 5 billion naira in compensation within seven days, describing the claims as false, malicious, and defamatory.

In his formal reply, Okonkwo denied defaming Obi. His lawyers asserted that his remarks were based on information provided directly by aggrieved party aspirants,...