Former Imo State Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa, has threatened legal action against lawyer and former Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, over alleged defamatory comments made during a live television interview.
In a pre-litigation letter dated June 11, 2026, and signed by Chief Soronnadi A. Njoku (SAN), Udenwa’s legal team accused Okonkwo of making damaging allegations against the former governor during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on June 8.
According to the letter, Okonkwo allegedly claimed that Chief Achike Udenwa, alongside other South-East political leaders, was involved in extorting aspirants in the region. Udenwa’s lawyers argued that the comments, which were subsequently circulated across various media platforms, portrayed the former governor as corrupt and damaged his reputation.
The legal team maintained that Udenwa’s record as a two-term governor of Imo State and former minister remains free of corruption or embezzlement allegations.
As part of its demands, the former governor’s legal counsel requested a formal retraction of the statements, a public apology to be published in five national newspapers and broadcast during prime-time programming on Channels Television, as well as N5 billion in damages.
The letter further gave Okonkwo seven days to comply with the demands, warning that failure to do so would result in a lawsuit before a competent court in Imo State seeking damages and other legal remedies.
The development sets the stage for a potential high-profile legal battle involving two prominent political figures from the South-East.
