Ex-Imo gov demands N5bn, apology from Okonkwo over defamation allegation

Former Imo State Governor Achike Udenwa has formally demanded N5 billion (approximately $3.1 million USD) in damages and a public apology from Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress. The demand stems from alleged defamatory statements made by Okonkwo during a television program, which Udenwa claims falsely depicted him as having extorted money from political aspirants through coercion and violence.

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Most regrettably, your defamatory statement against him, accusing him of illegally securing money from aspirants by compulsion and violence, or wrongly and illegally obtaining money from those aspirants by compulsion or violence, which statement you made during a live television programme broadcast both nationally and internationally, and which statement was subsequently published by numerous media houses and several online platforms, has greatly injured our client in his credit and reputation and portrayed him as a common criminal who abuses his position for personal monetary gains.

The demand was detailed in a three-page letter dated June 11, 2026, sent by Udenwa's lawyer, Chief Soronnadi Njoku. The letter accuses Okonkwo of making statements that "greatly injured our client in his credit and reputation and portrayed him as a common criminal who abuses his position for personal monetary gains." These remarks were reportedly made during a live broadcast on Channels TV on June 8, 2026, and subsequently circulated across various media platforms.

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This is why the NDC released a statement that it is only the South East caucus of the party that was involved in such problems. Onyema Ugochukwu, Achike Udenwa, Peter Obi and other leaders of the South East caucus were busy extorting the South East aspirants.

During the television interview, Okonkwo allegedly linked Udenwa to the extortion of aspirants seeking positions within the Nigerian Democratic Party. He specifically named Udenwa, along with Onyema Ugochukwu and Peter Obi, as leaders of the South East caucus who were allegedly "busy extorting the South East aspirants." Okonkwo claimed to possess details and a receipt from one aspirant, Obunike Ohaegbu, as evidence.

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We do hereby, on his instructions, give you seven days from the date of this letter to write a strongly worded letter of apology to him, published in five national dailies, as well as aired, prime time, on Channels Television, wherein you clearly, in unmistakable terms, retract your said publication against him, and give an undertaking never to defame him ever again.

Udenwa, through his counsel, has given Okonkwo seven days from the letter's date to issue a retraction and a "strongly worded letter of apology." This apology must be published in five national newspapers and aired during prime-time programming on Channels Television. Failure to comply with these demands will result in legal action.

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We also demand the payment of the sum of N5 billion as compensation to him to assuage the injuries your said false publication has occasioned to him.