An Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha has granted Peter Obi permission to serve court documents on Kenneth Okonkwo through substituted means after efforts to personally deliver the documents proved unsuccessful.
The court directed that the legal documents be pasted at Okonkwo’s last known residence in Nsukka, Enugu State, or handed to any adult found at the property.
The case is expected to proceed once the order for substituted service has been carried out.
The lawsuit stems from allegations made by Okonkwo that Obi and some leaders of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the South East demanded additional payments from aspirants seeking the party’s National Assembly tickets.
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Okonkwo also claimed that receipts and other documentary evidence existed to support his allegations.
He further alleged that Obi personally compiled the party’s list of candidates from a hotel room in Abuja and made other claims alleging dishonesty and criminal conduct.
Following those allegations, Obi’s legal team issued a pre-action notice demanding that Okonkwo withdraw the statements and publish a public apology on Channels Television and across his social media platforms.
The legal team also demanded ₦5 billion in damages and an undertaking that Okonkwo would refrain from making similar allegations in the future.
The dispute marks the latest public fallout between the two politicians, who previously worked together during Obi’s presidential campaign.