Former Imo State Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa, has filed a lawsuit against African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, over alleged defamatory statements made against him.
Kenneth Okonkwo, during an interview on Channels Television on June 8, 2026, was said to have linked the former governor to alleged extortion of aspirants seeking elective positions under the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).
He was quoted as saying: “This is why the NDC released a statement that it is only the South East caucus of the party that was involved in such problems. Onyema Ugochukwu, Achike Udenwa, Peter Obi and other leaders of the South East caucus were busy extorting the South East aspirants.”
In response, Udenwa’s legal counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Soronnadi A. Njoku, demanded a retraction of the statement, a public apology, and N5 billion in damages.
Meanwhile, NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi had also previously taken legal action against the actor-turned-politician over similar allegations.
BACKSTORY…
The fresh lawsuit against African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, is the latest development in a growing political and legal controversy surrounding allegations of financial inducement and internal disputes within the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).
The dispute stems from comments made by Okonkwo during a televised interview, where he allegedly linked some political figures within the party’s South East structure to claims of extortion and financial pressure on aspirants seeking elective positions.
His remarks triggered strong reactions from affected political actors, who have consistently denied the allegations and described them as false and damaging to their reputations.
In response, several party leaders have resorted to legal action, demanding retractions, public apologies, and substantial damages, as tensions continue to rise within the party over internal disagreements and accusations tied to candidate selection processes and alleged misconduct during party activities.
