A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has launched a fresh attack on the 2027 Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, accusing him of being a “compulsive liar” and alleging that he seeks to undermine emerging political figures from the South-East.
Okonkwo made the remarks while reacting to Obi’s defamation suit against him during an appearance on Sunrise Daily.
The former spokesperson for Obi insisted that he did not defame the presidential candidate, arguing that his comments were already in the public domain and could be verified by anyone.
He also criticised Obi’s understanding of defamation law, claiming that the former Anambra governor and his legal team misunderstood the basis of the lawsuit.
According to Okonkwo, defamation cases are based on statements already made, not comments someone intends to make in the future. He argued that Obi’s decision to sue him was legally flawed because he had already begun legal action before his controversial remarks.
Okonkwo maintained that his comments were made in response to Obi’s legal action and were intended to explain the potential consequences of suing a former spokesperson.
He further accused Obi of attempting to silence critics and claimed that the NDC candidate had a pattern of targeting rising political figures from the South-East.
The ADC chieftain also expressed agreement with comments by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who had accused Obi of dishonesty, saying Obi had allegedly made false claims against him and lacked sufficient understanding of legal issues.
Okonkwo urged Obi’s legal advisers to properly guide him on matters concerning defamation and public statements.
BACKSTORY:
Kenneth Okonkwo has denied defaming Peter Obi, accusing the NDC presidential candidate of making false claims while reacting to the ongoing legal dispute between them.
