The South East Progressives Forum, SEPF, has criticized the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, for initiating a N5 billion defamation lawsuit against his former spokesman and ally, Kenneth Okonkwo.
The Forum, in a statement signed by head of its media unit, Paul Anigbogu, on Monday, accused the former Anambra State governor of attempting to intimidate and silence Okonkwo for leaving him to align with another presidential candidate.
Recall that Obi’s lawyers, led by Alex Ejesieme, SAN had sent a pre-action notice to Okonkwo on June 9, 2026, accusing him of making malicious and defamatory remarks against the NDC presidential candidate
Obi’s attorneys, claiming that Okonkwo’s comments hurt their client’s reputation, threatened to sue the former Nollywood star for N5 billion in defamation if he did not retract his accusations against the NDC presidential candidate, pay N5 billion in damages, and issue a public apology within seven days.
Through his own solicitors, Okonkwo responded that he would not take back his remarks, claiming that he had spoken after obtaining briefs from NDC candidates who had been duped and coerced by Obi’s NDC caucus.
Speaking about the development, SEPF attacked the NDC presidential candidate for portraying himself as a democrat while also being extremely sensitive and quickly offended when opponents criticise him.
The group claims that Obi’s intention to sue his former spokesman for N5 billion demonstrates his fundamental distaste for democratic norms, particularly freedom of expression, and his fear of criticism.
SEPF denounced Obi’s recent attempt to sue Okonkwo, pointing out that he has a notorious habit of taking legal action against those who criticise him, including media outlets.
“In April 2023, he issued instructions to his lawyers against a media house over leaked audio recording of his phone call with Bishop David Oyedepo,” the statement said in part. He did this more than once.
Additionally, in 2025, he threatened and then filed a N1.5 billion lawsuit against lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju, claiming that Deji had published false, unjustified, unwarranted, malicious, irresponsible, and scandalous remarks against him on social media.
Obi is sensitive to criticism. He doesn’t like to be criticised, but he does criticise others. What kind of Democrat is that? All he is is a demagogue. Rather than use logical reasoning or verifiable facts, he seeks to obtain authority by appealing to people’s emotions, biases, and anxieties.
Kenneth Okonkwo was briefed by others in addition to speaking. Nigerians are not blind. Nigerians, especially in the South East, watched the NDC’s transactional primary elections. The highest bidder received the NDC tickets. The media is filled with news. We won’t put up with Obi’s attempt to use Kenneth Okonkwo as a scapegoat.
The Forum cautioned Obi that if he didn’t let Kenneth Okonkwo be, Nigerians would start learning about all of his despotic past during his eight years as the governor of Anambra State.
According to SEPF, “We will say everything, including how he stifled grassroots democracy by refusing to hold local government elections and running the councils with his cronies as caretaker committees until three months to his exit from office.”
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