An Anambra State High Court sitting in the Onitsha Judicial Division has granted the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, permission to serve court documents on actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo through substituted means.
The order was granted by Justice D.A. Onyefulu on June 30, 2026, in Suit No. O/229/2026 and Motion No. O/1322M/2026, following an ex parte application filed by Obi’s counsel, Chisom Ibemesi.
According to court filings, the application became necessary after repeated efforts by the court bailiff to personally serve Okonkwo with the originating processes proved unsuccessful. An affidavit presented before the court detailed the failed attempts at personal service.
In her ruling, Justice Onyefulu authorised that the writ of summons and all accompanying or subsequent court processes be served by pasting them at Okonkwo’s last known residential address located at NPR 48 Ofuluonu, Nsukka, Enugu State, near Ijeoma Fishing Company. The court also directed that the documents may be delivered to any responsible adult found at the residence.
To ensure compliance, the judge ordered that photographic evidence of the substituted service be taken and filed before the court as proof that the order had been duly executed.
The court further directed that the substituted service be carried out within seven days from the date the order was issued.
The application was brought pursuant to Sections 6 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), as well as the relevant provisions of the Anambra State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019.
The ruling clears the way for Obi’s lawsuit against Okonkwo to proceed after unsuccessful attempts to effect personal service. The substantive issues raised in the suit are yet to be heard by the court.
Court Approves Substituted Service on Kenneth Okonkwo in Peter Obi’s Lawsuit
