₦8bn Defamation Suit: Court Grants Peter Obi Leave To Serve Okonkwo

A High Court in Anambra State has granted the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, permission to serve court documents on African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, through substituted means in an ongoing ₦8 billion defamation suit.

The order was issued on Tuesday by Justice D.A. Onyefulu following an ex parte application filed by Obi’s legal counsel, Chisom Ibemesi. The court approved the request after reviewing an affidavit indicating that attempts by the court bailiff to personally serve the defendant had proved unsuccessful.

According to the court’s ruling, Obi is authorised to serve the writ of summons, alongside all accompanying and subsequent court processes, by substituted means. The court specifically directed that the documents be pasted at Okonkwo’s residence in Nsukka, Enugu State, or delivered to any responsible adult found at the address.

Justice Onyefulu further ordered that photographic evidence of the service be taken and filed before the court as proof that its directive had been properly executed.

The legal dispute stems from comments allegedly made by Okonkwo during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he accused Obi and the South-East caucus of the NDC of demanding bribes from aspirants seeking the party’s tickets for National Assembly elections.

Maintaining that the allegations were false and defamatory, Obi subsequently filed a lawsuit seeking a public retraction of the statements, an apology to be published in two national newspapers, and ₦8 billion in damages for the alleged harm caused to his reputation.

Okonkwo, however, has declined to retract the remarks, insisting that his statements were factual and constituted fair comment on matters of public interest.