Udenwa demands N5b, apology from Kenneth Okonkwo over extortion claim
Former Imo State governor Achike Udenwa has threatened legal action against actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo, demanding a public retraction, apology and N5 billion in damages over allegations he described as false and defamatory.
The dispute stems from comments allegedly made by Okonkwo, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former spokesman for the 2023 presidential campaign of Peter Obi, during an appearance on Channels Television.
In a letter dated June 11, 2026, and made available to journalists on Saturday, Udenwa’s counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Soronnadi Njoku, accused Okonkwo of making false and malicious statements during Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on June 8.
According to the letter, Okonkwo alleged that members of the South-East caucus of a political party, including Udenwa, Obi and veteran journalist, elder statesman and the pioneer Executive Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, were involved in extorting political aspirants.
The 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. Onyema 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 effectively accused the former governor of criminal extortion and portrayed him as someone who abused his position to unlawfully obtain money from aspirants seeking political office.
The lawyers maintained that the claims were entirely false and had caused significant reputational damage to their client, who served two terms as governor of Imo State and later held office as a federal minister.
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 further contended that the comments, made during a live television broadcast and subsequently circulated across multiple media platforms, had lowered the former governor’s standing in the eyes of the public.
“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 has given Okonkwo seven days from the date of the letter to issue what it described as a strongly worded apology and retraction.
The lawyers said the apology must be published in five national newspapers and broadcast during prime-time programming on Channels Television. They also demanded a written undertaking from Okonkwo that he would refrain from making any further defamatory statements against the former governor.
In addition to the apology and retraction, Udenwa is seeking N5 billion in compensation for the alleged damage caused by the publication.
The letter warned that failure to comply with the demands within the stipulated period would trigger legal proceedings 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.
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Peter Obi had also threatened legal proceedings against Okonkwo over remarks allegedly made during the same television interview.
