…insists on refund of alleged NDC primary fees
By Precious Mark
Former spokesperson to Peter Obi and African Democratic Congress (ADC) Chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo has denied defaming National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential candidate.
Recall that Obi through his lawyers had accused Okonkwo of defamation following statements uttered by Okonkwo during his appearance on a June 8, 2026 Channels Television interview.
Replying Obi, Okonkwo, through his solicitors, maintained that he did not defame Obi and instead called for the refund of what he described as billions of naira allegedly collected from South-East aspirants during the party’s primaries.
“Our Client denies that he defamed your Client in any manner whatsoever and expressly asserts that his position on the issues he expressed reflects the true position of the matters so reflected,” the letter stated.
The solicitors also accused Obi’s legal team of publishing Okonkwo’s personal telephone number on social media alongside the defamation letter, describing it as a breach of privacy that exposed him to threats and harassment.
“Our Client has suffered tremendous attacks on his person since the malicious online publication of his telephone number and incurred serious damages as a result,” the lawyers wrote.
Okonkwo said the defamation demand was intended to intimidate him and restrict his professional duties as a lawyer, columnist, and public affairs analyst.
He maintained that his television comments were based on information from Obunike Ohaegbu, who allegedly sought legal assistance to recover N10 million he claimed to have paid during the NDC primary process.
According to the response, Obunike alleged he was asked to pay the money after being assured of securing a party ticket, but was later directed to proceed into direct primaries despite believing he had emerged as the candidate.
Okonkwo further alleged that South-East aspirants were made to pay N10 million for House of Representatives tickets and N20 million for Senate tickets, claiming that 99 aspirants in Enugu State paid N990 million while 98 aspirants in Imo State paid N980 million, with total collections running into billions of naira.
The letter said Obunike accused Obi and South-East caucus leaders of supervising the process, adding that another candidate was eventually declared winner.
“Our Client was expressing the information he got from his client who briefed him to recover the N10 million paid into the account of the Nigeria Democratic Congress,” the statement added.
Okonkwo’s lawyers also cited an NDC document outlining the South-East leadership structure, arguing that aspirants dealt directly with regional caucus leaders, which influenced decisions on the conduct of the primaries.
The response also referenced former senatorial aspirant OAU Onyema, who allegedly paid N500,000 as Party Development Levy and N20 million as Show Capacity Levy.
According to the letter, Onyema later said the payments were obtained through “misleading representations, false pretence, undue influence and coercive pressure” from persons within the screening committee and party hierarchy.
It also cited an unnamed Enugu senatorial aspirant who allegedly told Okonkwo, “I have a direct taste of the fraud that is Peter Obi recently in the NDC.”
Okonkwo further alleged that Obi urged aggrieved aspirants to accept their losses “as a sacrifice for the party,” describing it as suggestive of complicity in the dispute.
The letter also repeated claims that a list of candidates had allegedly been prepared at Johnwood Hotel, Abuja, before the conclusion of primaries.
Quoting Obunike, it stated: If aspirants were directed to participate in primaries while candidate lists were allegedly being prepared elsewhere, serious questions arise about the integrity of the entire process.”
The response also referenced comments by Eunice Atuejide on Arise Television on June 11, 2026, and statements by Aisha Yesufu after the primaries, which Okonkwo said supported claims that the process was predetermined.
Quoting Yesufu, the letter said: “What was billed as a primary was, in truth, a predetermined outcome dressed in procedural formalities.”
Okonkwo clarified that his reference to Obi’s fundraising activities was misunderstood, stressing that he used the term “diaspora” rather than “travels abroad,” referring to fundraising among Nigerians overseas.
“Our Client did not use the word ‘travels abroad’. Our Client used the word ‘diaspora’,” the letter stated.
The lawyers insisted Okonkwo stood by his Channels Television remarks, saying his intention was to expose what he described as “transactional politics, ticket racketeering, extortion, misleading representations, false pretence, undue influence and coercive pressure.”
They also urged Obi to facilitate the refund of what they described as billions of naira allegedly collected from South-East aspirants under discriminatory procedures.
Okonkwo further cited Obi’s public remarks on press freedom, quoting him as saying, “You cannot arrest somebody because he was speaking on Radio or Television calling people names.”