A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has criticised the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, over the legal action instituted against him.
Okonkwo said he once stood up in Obi's defence during a period of alleged political harassment, despite no longer serving as his spokesperson.
The development follows an order by an Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha, which granted Obi permission to serve court documents on Okonkwo through substituted means after efforts to personally serve him reportedly proved unsuccessful.
The court directed that the legal documents be pasted at Okonkwo's last known residence in Nsukka, Enugu State, or delivered to any adult found at the address.
How The Dispute Started
The lawsuit stems from allegations made by Okonkwo, who claimed that Obi and some leaders of the NDC in the South-East demanded additional payments from National Assembly aspirants seeking the party's tickets.
Okonkwo also alleged that Obi personally compiled the list of candidates from a hotel room in Abuja.
In response, Obi's legal team demanded that Okonkwo retract the allegations, issue a public apology on Channels Television and across his social media platforms, pay ₦5 billion in damages, and provide a written undertaking that he would not repeat the claims.
"I Defended Him, But He's Taking Me To Court" – Okonkwo
Reacting to the lawsuit during an interview on Channels Television, Okonkwo said he does not believe he should approach Obi to seek an out-of-court settlement.
According to him, he publicly defended Obi during an alleged confrontation involving the Governor of Edo State, even though he was no longer speaking on Obi's behalf.
"I don't think I should. You remember even when the governor of Edo State harassed him, even when his life was in danger. I wasn't speaking for him again," Okonkwo said.
He added that he considered Obi a brother and felt compelled to defend him despite their political differences.
"But I told him that even though I'm not speaking for him again, he's my brother, and if anything happens to him, you will know that even if a madman has brothers. I came out to defend you, but you know what, he is taking me to court," he stated.
The legal dispute between the two former political allies is expected to be determined by the court in the coming proceedings.