Kenneth Okonkwo, a prominent chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has firmly rejected demands by Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), to retract his allegations regarding irregularities in the NDC primary elections and ticket allocation.
In a direct response to a pre-action notice from Obi’s legal team threatening a ₦5 billion defamation lawsuit, Okonkwo stated that he stands by his comments made during a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily. He maintained that his remarks were based on credible complaints received from affected aspirants and other reliable sources.
“I won’t retract the allegations. They are not fabrications but stem from genuine issues raised by aspirants who participated in the NDC primaries,” Okonkwo asserted. He accused certain elements within the NDC process of ticket racketeering and extortion, claiming some aspirants were allegedly required to pay significant sums to secure nominations.
The controversy erupted after Okonkwo highlighted alleged malpractices, including claims that candidate lists were pre-determined at a hotel in Abuja rather than through transparent primaries. Obi’s legal team, led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, demanded an immediate retraction, public apology, and ₦5 billion in damages, describing the claims as false and damaging.
Okonkwo, however, has doubled down, welcoming further scrutiny and urging Obi to proceed to court if he so desires, insisting that the issues raised touch on the integrity of the democratic process within the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This latest exchange highlights deepening tensions in Nigeria’s opposition political landscape and raises questions about transparency in party primaries.