Nollywood actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo has launched a blistering attack on former principal Peter Obi, accusing the ex-Anambra governor and 2027 presidential candidate of betraying him with what he called a “frivolous” defamation lawsuit.
In a fiery interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Okonkwo, who once served as a key spokesperson for Obi during the 2023 Labour Party presidential campaign, doubled down on his earlier decision to publicly distance himself from the former governor. He revealed he stopped speaking for Obi in July 2024 after concluding the man lacked the decisiveness and qualities needed to lead Nigeria.
“As a public affairs analyst that I have been from 2009 before I ever met Peter Obi, I proceeded with my job… I made it public that I wasn’t speaking for him anymore because he’s not decisive. I’ve seen in him certain qualities that make him unfit to be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Okonkwo stated.
He described Obi’s decision to sue him over recent allegations as the ultimate betrayal, especially after he had poured everything into the campaign.
“This is somebody I worked for and did everything for. Yet, after I left, he went to court with a frivolous defamation suit. Who is now the betrayer? Who is the disloyal?” he asked.
Okonkwo contrasted Obi’s reaction with that of Atiku Abubakar, noting that despite criticising Atiku more harshly in the past, the former vice president never resorted to legal action. Instead, Atiku reportedly saw value in him and recently appointed him as spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) 2027 presidential campaign.
“I talked about Atiku Abubakar here in this studio much more than I would even talk about Peter Obi… Atiku Abubakar said, ‘I am looking at this young man, I am seeing the value in him, and his tenacity to bring about a great Nigeria,’” Okonkwo recalled.
He called Atiku a “talent discoverer” who had spotted and empowered figures like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Charles Soludo, and Nasir El-Rufai.
The lawsuit stems from Okonkwo’s public allegations that Obi and other NDC leaders allegedly demanded bribes from House of Representatives aspirants and manipulated the party’s primary process. Peter Obi, through his lawyers, had earlier demanded a retraction, public apology, and N5 billion in damages. When Okonkwo did not comply, Obi filed an N8 billion defamation suit at the Anambra State High Court in Onitsha on June 25, 2026.
Read Kenneth Okonkwo Mocks Peter Obi’s N5bn Lawsuit Threat
Okonkwo dismissed the suit as baseless and selective, insisting he only repeated information from identifiable sources and possesses documentary evidence to back his claims.
“Assuming without conceding, I even did something wrong. So, that is how he would have treated me? Bring him on. Let him come!”
He further suggested the legal action was an attempt to silence a “bright person rising from the Southeast” who adds value, while faceless critics faced no consequences.
Kenneth Okonkwo’s explosive interview comes as political alliances shift ahead of 2027. After quitting Labour Party in 2024 over crises under Obi’s leadership, he’s now joined Atiku’s camp. His switch from Obi’s top defender to critic has fueled their feud, gripping Nigerians. With a defamation case headed to court, Okonkwo remains defiant and determined to present his evidence.