Kenneth Okonkwo Sparks Fresh Controversy, Says Peter Obi Is ‘Inconsequential

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has dismissed Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi as politically irrelevant ahead of the 2027 general election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Okonkwo made the remarks on Thursday during an appearance on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, when he was asked about his position on Obi’s political future.

The actor-turned-politician, who recently emerged as spokesperson for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, said his focus is on those he considers genuine contenders for the 2027 presidential race.

“I have just been appointed the spokesperson of Atiku Abubakar, so Obi is inconsequential in whatever he is doing in his life. May we proceed to talk about more important issues?” he said.

“I want to talk about contenders in 2027, not pretenders. Can you bring down somebody who is already down?”

Meanwhile, Peter Obi has filed an ₦8 billion defamation suit against Okonkwo over comments the latter made during a television interview.

The suit, lodged at the Onitsha Judicial Division of the Anambra State High Court on Thursday, comes after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum Obi issued, demanding that Okonkwo retract the statements, tender a public apology, and pay compensation.

The legal dispute stems from comments made by Okonkwo during a June 8 appearance on Channels Television, where he alleged that Obi collected ₦10 million each from House of Representatives aspirants and personally compiled the list of candidates for federal constituencies in the South-East.

Following the interview, Obi, through his lawyer, Chief Alex Ejesieme (SAN), issued a pre-action notice dated June 9, demanding a public retraction, an apology, and ₦5 billion in damages.

However, in a response dated June 16, signed by his lawyer, V.I. Uma, Okonkwo rejected the demands and insisted he stood by his allegations.