A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has dismissed allegations that he defamed the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, describing the lawsuit filed against him as baseless.
Speaking on Channels Television on Friday, Okonkwo accused Obi of misrepresenting the facts surrounding the dispute and insisted that his comments were based on publicly available information.
The former Obi ally argued that the NDC candidate had misunderstood the legal basis of defamation, maintaining that such an action can only arise from statements already made and not remarks a person is yet to make.
According to him, Obi had already initiated the legal process before his disputed comments were published, adding that his post on X merely cautioned against suing a former spokesperson because confidential information could emerge during legal proceedings.
“I never defamed Peter Obi. Everything I said is in the public domain for anyone to verify. A defamation suit is based on what someone has already said, not on what they intend to say,” Okonkwo said.
He further accused Obi of attempting to undermine prominent figures from the South-East, alleging that the former Anambra governor had repeatedly targeted individuals gaining political relevance in the region.
Okonkwo also aligned himself with recent criticism of Obi by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who had described the NDC candidate as a habitual liar.
Referring to Keyamo’s remarks, Okonkwo said he agreed with the minister’s assessment, claiming Obi had publicly made false statements about him and demonstrated a poor understanding of legal principles.
The exchange follows Obi’s decision to institute legal action against Okonkwo over alleged defamatory comments, deepening the public rift between the former political associates.
