Veteran Nollywood actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo has reacted to reports that the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, is seeking ₦5 billion in damages over alleged defamatory comments.
In a statement shared on X on Wednesday, Okonkwo ridiculed the reported legal demand, suggesting that Obi was merely looking for funds to support his political ambitions.
The former spokesperson for Obi’s presidential campaign said that if the NDC candidate needed financial assistance for political activities, he should approach him directly rather than pursue what he described as an attempt at extortion.
According to Okonkwo, he became aware of a letter allegedly issued by Obi and his legal representatives demanding ₦5 billion in compensation.
Reacting to the development, he claimed that during his time as Obi’s campaign spokesman, he personally covered certain expenses, including flight tickets and hotel accommodation for campaign engagements.
Okonkwo further stated that he had not yet reviewed the letter in detail but warned that any court action could lead to the disclosure of information he obtained while serving in Obi’s campaign team.
He maintained that he had chosen not to reveal confidential details out of principle but hinted that the situation could change if the dispute progresses through legal channels.
The actor-turned-politician challenged Obi and his lawyers to proceed with the matter, insisting that he was prepared to respond appropriately once he had examined the contents of the demand letter.
He added that a formal response would be issued after he had fully reviewed the document.