Nigeria’s opposition politics has been thrown into fresh turbulence after actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo released what he described as WhatsApp conversations and supporting documents to reinforce allegations that aspirants in the South-East were compelled to make controversial payments during the nomination process of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
Okonkwo, a former ally of Peter Obi, has repeatedly alleged that aspirants seeking elective offices under the NDC platform were asked to make payments running into millions of naira beyond officially prescribed fees. He claims the documents and chat records were supplied by aggrieved aspirants who felt shortchanged by the party’s nomination process.
At the centre of the controversy is an allegation that House of Representatives aspirants were required to pay ₦10 million, while Senate aspirants allegedly faced higher financial demands. Okonkwo insists the materials in his possession support claims of financial impropriety and warrant investigation by anti-corruption and security agencies.
The allegations have, however, been strongly rejected by Obi and his legal team. Through senior lawyer Chief Alex Ejesieme (SAN), Obi described the claims as false, malicious and defamatory, maintaining that neither he nor the party leadership engaged in any bribery scheme or fraudulent manipulation of party primaries.
The dispute has now escalated into a legal confrontation. Obi’s lawyers have demanded a public retraction, apology and substantial damages, arguing that the accusations have injured the former presidential candidate’s reputation and portrayed him as engaging in criminal conduct without evidence.
Despite the legal pressure, Okonkwo has refused to back down. He maintains that the allegations raise serious questions about transparency within the party and insists that the claims should be subjected to independent scrutiny rather than dismissed through legal threats.
The unfolding controversy has intensified tensions within opposition ranks ahead of the 2027 political contest, with both camps digging in for what is shaping up to be a high-stakes battle not only in the court of law but also in the court of public opinion. While Okonkwo insists the released chats support his allegations, Obi’s camp maintains that the claims are entirely fabricated and will be vigorously challenged in court.