By SCM Reporter
OWERRI — Former Governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa, has threatened to initiate a massive legal battle against actor-turned-politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, demanding a comprehensive retraction, a prime-time public apology, and a staggering ₦5 billion in damages over allegedly defamatory remarks made during a recent television interview.
The legal threat, which highlights growing friction within top political circles, was contained in a demand letter dated June 11, 2026, signed by Udenwa’s counsel, Chief Soronnadi Njoku (SAN).
The letter, which was made available to journalists in Owerri on Saturday, gave Okonkwo a strict seven-day ultimatum to comply or face full litigation at the High Court of Imo State.
The controversy stems from an interview Okonkwo granted on Channels Television’s flagship morning programme, Sunrise Daily, on June 8, 2026. During the broadcast, Okonkwo, a prominent chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former spokesperson for the 2023 Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, allegedly accused top leaders of the South-East political caucus of extorting money from aspirants.
Okonkwo was quoted to have said during the live broadcast: “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.”
Reacting swiftly, Udenwa’s legal team stated that the claims were entirely malicious, baseless, and carefully calculated to destroy the hard-earned reputation of the elder statesman. They argued that by accusing Udenwa of criminal extortion, Okonkwo portrayed the former governor as an unprincipled leader who used his political standing to unlawfully enrich himself from desperate political aspirants.
The letter read in part: “Your publication has greatly lowered his image in the eyes of right-thinking members of the Nigerian society. 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 ₦5bn as damages against you, as well as the appropriate injunctive reliefs.”
Udenwa’s legal team further stressed that as a trained legal practitioner himself, Okonkwo ought to understand the severe legal implications of accusing a citizen of criminal acts on a national platform.
They maintained that throughout his decades in the public eye, Udenwa has never been indicted, investigated, or convicted of corruption or extortion.
Aside from the ₦5 billion financial compensation, the Senior Advocate demanded that Okonkwo publish a strongly-worded retraction and apology in five national dailies and ensure it is aired during prime-time slots on Channels Television.
This escalating legal showdown comes amidst severe, unresolved internal crises rocking third-party coalitions and opposition structures in Nigeria following the alignment shifts after the general elections.
Okonkwo’s controversial remarks point to a wider fracture regarding how primary elections and candidate selections were funded and managed within the regional caucuses.
Chief Achike Udenwa served as the democratically elected Governor of Imo State from 1999 to 2007 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He later served the nation as the Minister of Commerce and Industry under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration.
Since leaving office, Udenwa has maintained a relatively reserved persona, stepping in primarily as an elder statesman to guide regional political caucuses.
Kenneth Okonkwo, a veteran Nollywood actor who famously starred in the pathbreaking 1992 movie Living in Bondage, pivoted into full-time politics and legal practice over the last decade. He gained immense political traction ahead of the 2023 general elections when he served as a vocal, fiery spokesperson for the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
However, recent policy disputes and structural battles within the opposition coalition led to his alignment with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), from which he has frequently thrown rhetorical darts at his former political allies.
Udenwa’s legal move mirrors a parallel action by the former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who has similarly pulled the legal trigger against Okonkwo over related remarks made during the same media outing.
As the seven-day ultimatum ticks away, political analysts are watching closely to see if Okonkwo will offer a soft landing through a retraction, or if the stage is set for one of the highest-stakes political defamation trials of the year.