Former Imo State Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa, has threatened legal action against actor-turned-politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, demanding a retraction, public apology and N5bn in damages over alleged defamatory remarks.
Okonkwo who’s a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and was spokesman for Peter Obi campaign organisation in the 2023 presidential election had accused Udenwa of bribery while appearing on Channels TV.
The development comes days after former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, also initiated legal proceedings against Okonkwo over comments he allegedly made during the same interview.
In a letter made available to journalists on Saturday dated June 11, 2026, and signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Soronnadi Njoku, counsel to Udenwa accused Okonkwo of making false and malicious statements during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on June 8, 2026.
According to the letter, Okonkwo had alleged during the interview that leaders of the South-East caucus of a political party, including Udenwa, Peter Obi and former Abia State Governor, Okey Udeh Ugochukwu, were involved in extorting aspirants.
The specific statement cited in the letter reads, “That is why the NDC has released a statement that it’s only the South-East caucus of the party that was involved in such problems. Okey Ugochukwu, Achike Udenwa, Peter Obi and other leaders of the South-East caucus were busy extorting the South-East aspirants.”
Udenwa’s legal team argued that the allegation amounted to accusing the former governor of the crime of extortion and portrayed him as someone who used his position to unlawfully obtain money from political aspirants.
The lawyers maintained that the claim was false, defamatory and damaging to the reputation of their client, who served two terms as governor of Imo State and later as a minister in the Federal Government.
According to the letter, Udenwa has never been accused or convicted of corruption, extortion or any related offence throughout his years in public service.
The legal team stated that the remarks, made during a live television broadcast and subsequently circulated by several media platforms, had injured the former governor’s reputation and lowered him in the estimation of members of the public.
The lawyers further argued that, as a legal practitioner, Okonkwo ought to understand the meaning and legal implications of alleging that someone engaged in extortion.
“Your publication has greatly lowered his image in the eyes of right-thinking members of the Nigerian society,” the letter stated, adding that accusing an individual of extortion is actionable without proof of specific damage because it imputes criminal conduct.
As part of its demands, Udenwa’s legal team gave Okonkwo seven days from the date of the letter to issue what it described as a strongly worded apology and retraction.
The apology, according to the lawyers, must be published in five national newspapers and aired during prime time on Channels Television. The letter also demanded an undertaking from Okonkwo that he would refrain from making any further defamatory statements against the former governor.
In addition, Udenwa is seeking N5bn in compensation for the alleged injury caused by the publication.
The letter warned that failure to comply with the demands within the stipulated period would result in legal proceedings being commenced against Okonkwo at the appropriate High Court in Imo State.
“Take notice that if the above demands are not strictly met within the stipulated time frame, we have his instructions to commence legal proceedings against you in the appropriate High Court in Imo State to claim the said sum of N5bn as damages against you, as well as the appropriate injunctive reliefs against you,” the lawyers stated.
The threat of litigation comes amid a growing legal dispute involving Okonkwo and some prominent political figures from the South-East.
