Former spokesman of the Labour movement and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has released what he claims are WhatsApp exchanges and supporting materials to back his allegations of bribery involving the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and senior party officials.
Okonkwo had earlier accused Obi and other NDC leaders in the South-East of collecting between N10 million and N20 million from House of Representatives and senatorial aspirants during the party’s nomination process.
He also alleged that an aspirant, Obunike Ohaegbu, provided him with details of the alleged payments as well as documentary evidence he described as a receipt.
The controversy has since escalated into a legal battle, as Obi’s lawyers demanded N5 billion in damages and a public apology from Okonkwo over what they described as defamatory claims. The legal notice, issued by a team led by senior advocate Alex Ejesieme (SAN), gave Okonkwo an ultimatum to retract the statements or face further legal action.
In response, Okonkwo on Wednesday published excerpts of alleged WhatsApp conversations on his X handle, insisting the messages support his allegations regarding the conduct of the NDC primaries.
According to him, the exchanges with Ohaegbu raised questions about the transparency of the nomination process, particularly in the South-East, and suggested that candidate selection may have been predetermined.
The quoted messages criticised the absence of consultations and consensus-building among aspirants in Anambra State, contrasting the process with other regions where negotiations were reportedly held.
The writer of the messages further questioned how the final list of candidates was produced, alleging irregularities in the internal selection process and describing the situation as undermining the integrity of the primaries.
Okonkwo defended his actions, stating that he had a duty as both a citizen and legal practitioner to expose what he considers wrongdoing. He also argued that the South-East should not be subjected to political manipulation or unfair treatment.
He wrote that he would not ignore information suggesting wrongdoing within the political process and insisted that accountability must be upheld regardless of political affiliation.
On the legal threat from Obi’s camp, Okonkwo said he had not fully studied the letter served on him but would issue a formal response after doing so. He also hinted that any court proceedings could lead to further disclosures based on information he said he obtained during his time as a party spokesperson.
Okonkwo, once an ally of Obi, later parted ways with him following political realignments after Obi’s exit from the ADC to the NDC, a move that has continued to fuel political tensions between both camps.
The latest exchange marks a further deterioration in relations between both sides, with accusations and counterclaims now playing out publicly across legal and social media platforms.
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