Defamation: Arise TV's Rufai Oseni Faults Peter Obi’s ₦5bn Suit Against Kenneth Okonkwo

Popular Arise TV anchor, Rufai Oseni, has criticised the recent defamation lawsuit filed by the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, against his former ally, Kenneth Okonkwo.

Arise News anchor and broadcast journalist, Rufai Oseni, has weighed in on the unfolding legal battle between Peter Obi and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, advising the former Anambra State governor to withdraw the suit.

Obi's legal team recently issued a seven-day ultimatum and a ₦5 billion defamation pre-action notice to Okonkwo over allegations the actor-turned-politician made during a television interview. Okonkwo had claimed that Obi and the NDC South-East caucus collected bribes from aspirants seeking House of Representatives and senatorial tickets during the party's primary elections.

However, speaking during the Arise TV morning show, Rufai Oseni faulted the decision to pursue legal action. He described Okonkwo as a "political surrogate" and argued that the lawsuit was a waste of time that ultimately played into Okonkwo's hands by giving the allegations unnecessary media amplification.

According to the journalist, the bribery claims had gone largely unnoticed by the general public until Obi’s legal team decided to threaten a high-profile lawsuit.

“If I am to advise Mr Peter Obi, I would ask him to remove that case from the court. He doesn't need it," Rufai stated. "I can bet you that a lot of people did not even hear when Kenneth Okonkwo said it. It became news when Peter Obi sued him.”

Rufai stressed that while Obi had the right to protect his reputation, ignoring the claims or simply issuing a strong rebuttal would have been a more effective political strategy.

“You just gave media traction to this guy. Allow him to talk as he wants. The best you can do is to refute it. It is not everything you react to,” Rufai added.

The unfolding drama between Obi and Okonkwo marks a bitter fallout between the two politicians, who were prominent allies during the 2023 presidential election campaign. Okonkwo served as one of the key spokespersons for Obi's campaign but recently parted ways with him, citing differences in political strategy and leadership style.

As the 2027 election cycle gradually approaches, political observers continue to monitor how the legal dispute and internal opposition conflicts will impact the political landscape.