A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has released screenshots of alleged WhatsApp conversations which he claims support his allegations of bribery against Peter Obi and some leaders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Okonkwo had previously alleged that Obi and certain NDC leaders in the South-East collected N10 million from House of Representatives aspirants and N20 million from senatorial aspirants during the party’s candidate selection process.
According to him, one of the aspirants, Obunike Ohaegbu, provided information and receipts relating to the alleged payments, which formed the basis of his claims.
The allegations have since escalated into a legal dispute after Obi’s legal team, led by Alex Ejesieme (SAN), issued a letter dated June 9, 2026, demanding N5 billion in damages and a public apology over what it described as defamatory statements.
The former Anambra State governor also threatened further legal action if the demands were not met.
In posts shared on his X account on Wednesday, Okonkwo published screenshots of alleged conversations between himself and Ohaegbu, insisting that the messages support his claims regarding Obi’s role in the NDC primary election process.
According to Okonkwo, Ohaegbu informed him that when aspirants sought clarification about the authority behind the alleged payments, Peter Obi and members of a caucus reportedly assembled by him were identified as being responsible.
The conversations released by Okonkwo also allegedly show Ohaegbu expressing dissatisfaction with the conduct of the NDC primaries in Anambra State, claiming that aspirants were neither consulted nor involved in any consensus-building process before candidates were selected.
The messages reportedly questioned how candidate lists emerged despite the absence of consultations or agreements among aspirants, raising concerns about transparency and fairness in the selection process.
Defending his decision to make the allegations public, Okonkwo argued that he was obligated to speak out on issues involving alleged wrongdoing.
“As a citizen and a lawyer, I have a duty to disclose every crime against the state that comes within my knowledge,” he said.
He further maintained that no Nigerian should be subjected to injustice without challenge.
Earlier, Okonkwo dismissed Obi’s legal demand, stating that he had not yet reviewed the letter and would respond appropriately after examining its contents.
He also suggested that any court proceedings could lead to the release of additional information obtained during the period he served as Obi’s spokesperson and political ally.
Both men were once close political associates before parting ways following Obi’s departure from the African Democratic Congress for the National Democratic Congress.
The latest exchange adds to the growing controversy surrounding the NDC’s primary elections, which have been dogged by allegations of irregularities, candidate imposition and internal divisions in several states ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
