An Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha grants Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi leave to serve court processes on actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo through substituted service. The outlets report that the application is granted after attempts to personally serve Okonkwo fail. The presiding judge, D.A. Onyefulu, orders that the writ of summons and accompanying processes, along with subsequent court documents, be served by pasting them at Okonkwo’s last known address in Nsukka, Enugu State, or by delivering them to any adult at the same address. The court also directs that evidence of the service, including photographs, be filed to show compliance. The order is to be carried out within seven days.
The underlying dispute is a defamation suit filed by Obi. Reports say Obi claims Okonkwo made defamatory statements about him during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. Obi seeks damages of N5 billion, while Okonkwo maintains that his comments were based on facts and amount to fair comment. Okonkwo is described as an African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain and former spokesperson for Obi’s campaign council during the 2023 presidential race under the Labour Party.
