The war of words between former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his former campaign spokesman, Kenneth Okonkwo, took a fresh turn on Wednesday after Okonkwo released what he described as WhatsApp conversations to support his allegations of bribery within the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).
Okonkwo, who recently accused Obi and some South-East leaders of the party of collecting money from aspirants seeking elective positions, shared screenshots of alleged chats on his X account, insisting that his claims were not fabricated.
The controversy began earlier this week when Okonkwo alleged that House of Representatives aspirants paid N10 million each, while senatorial hopefuls paid N20 million each during the party’s nomination process.
One of the individuals he referenced was Obunike Ohaegbu, whom he claimed provided details and documentary evidence of the alleged payments.
The accusations prompted Obi’s legal team to issue a demand letter dated June 9, 2026, seeking N5 billion in damages and a public apology. The former Anambra governor also threatened further legal action if the demands are not met.
In response, Okonkwo doubled down on his allegations.
According to him, Ohaegbu had explained during their conversations that aspirants in Anambra State were neither consulted nor invited to meetings where consensus candidates were supposedly agreed upon.
Okonkwo quoted Ohaegbu as questioning how a list of candidates allegedly emerged despite the absence of consultations or negotiations among aspirants.
The former spokesperson argued that the circumstances raised serious concerns about the integrity of the party’s primary process.
He also defended his decision to make the allegations public, saying he had both a civic and professional obligation to speak out if he became aware of conduct he believed was unlawful.
“As a citizen and a lawyer, I have a duty to disclose any crime against the state that comes to my knowledge,” Okonkwo said, adding that Nigerians should not remain silent in the face of alleged wrongdoing.
The actor-turned-politician maintained that he would formally respond to Obi’s legal letter after reviewing it in full.
He also warned that any court action could lead to the disclosure of information he obtained while serving as Obi’s spokesperson during the 2023 presidential campaign.
The dispute marks another chapter in the deteriorating relationship between the two former political allies, who worked closely during the 2023 presidential election but have since become increasingly critical of one another following their political separation.
Neither Obi nor his legal team has publicly responded to the latest documents released by Okonkwo beyond the earlier demand for damages and retraction.
