Kenneth Okonkwo has ridiculed Peter Obi's N5 billion lawsuit demand. The veteran actor posted his response on X on Wednesday morning.
Okonkwo suggested Obi should ask him directly for campaign funds. According to him, resorting to legal action looked like extortion.
"If Peter Obi is looking for money to campaign, he should privately ask me for assistance, not come from extortion," Okonkwo wrote. "I will help him.
I did so when I was his spokesperson."
During his time working for Obi, Okonkwo claimed he paid his own expenses. He covered flight tickets and hotel bills for campaign activities.
Okonkwo said he hadn't yet reviewed the letter from Obi's lawyers. But he warned that court proceedings could force him to reveal sensitive details.
He maintained he'd kept quiet about confidential information on principle. However, he indicated that the position might change if litigation moved forward.
"I have refrained from sharing confidential information out of principle but suggested that such restraint could change if the matter proceeded to court," he noted. The former Obi campaign spokesman invited the NDC candidate to pursue legal action.
Okonkwo promised to give a formal response after reading the demand letter carefully. He expressed readiness to defend himself in court if necessary.
Sources say the legal row stems from statements Okonkwo allegedly made about Obi. Obi's team claims these remarks damaged the presidential candidate's reputation.
Okonkwo's mockery marks the latest escalation in their relationship. The two had worked together during the 2023 presidential campaign.
Political observers are watching how the dispute unfolds. Many see it as a significant test of Nigeria's defamation laws.
