The legal wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has threatened to haul former Nollywood actor turned politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC). The group accuses him of professional misconduct and behavior unbecoming of a legal practitioner following what it described as repeated, baseless, and malicious attacks on the party’s 2027 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
​The warning was issued in a stern statement by the NDC Legal Advocates for Ethics & Integrity (LAGEI). The legal group expressed deep concern over Okonkwo’s recent public utterances, which they claim cross the line from healthy political discourse into outright defamation and professional infamy.
​The friction escalated significantly following a series of media appearances and statements by Okonkwo, who is currently a member of the African Democratic Party (ADC).
​According to the NDC legal wing, Okonkwo allegedly leveled grave criminal accusations against Peter Obi, including a claim that the presidential candidate demanded a N10 million bribe from every House of Representatives aspirant from the South-East during his previous political outings.
​LAGEI Convener, Barrister Opara, vehemently denied the allegations, labeling them completely false, malicious, and a calculated attempt to damage the reputation of the NDC standard-bearer ahead of the 2027 general elections.
​”Instead of selling the policies and vision of his own political party and candidate to Nigerians, Mr. Okonkwo has made it his sole preoccupation to malign, defame, and launch unfounded criminal allegations against Peter Obi,” Opara stated.
​The legal body has issued a strict 48-hour ultimatum to Okonkwo to completely retract his statements or face severe disciplinary actions within the legal profession.
​The NDC legal wing demanded the full retraction, public apology, broadcasted across major media platforms within 48 hours with an immediate end to what they described as using ethnic sentiments as a shield for reckless political attacks.
​This disciplinary threat from the NDC’s legal wing adds to a rapidly growing mountain of legal troubles for Okonkwo. Reports indicate that Peter Obi’s personal legal team has already initiated separate defamation proceedings, demanding a staggering N5 billion in damages and a public apology over the same television interviews.
​The NDC legal wing made it clear that they will not sit idly by while their candidate’s integrity is dragged through the mud for “cheap political gains.”
​”Failure to comply with this notice will leave us with no option but to activate all lawful remedies available,” Opara warned. “This includes bringing a formal petition against him before the LPDC to answer for conduct that breaches the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners in Nigeria.”
​As of the time of filing this report, Dr. Kenneth Okonkwo has not issued an official retraction, instead doubling down on social media by insisting on the veracity of his claims. With the 48-hour clock ticking, the political space watches closely to see if the battle will transition from the court of public opinion straight to the legal disciplinary chambers.
