Nigeria, July 2 -- A state high court in Onitsha, Anambra State, has granted the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, leave to serve court summons on Kenneth Okonkwo, his former spokesperson, via substituted means in the N5 billion defamation suit against Mr Okonkwo.

The judge, D.A. Onyefulu, gave the order on Tuesday, 30 June, according to a court document seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

The order followed an ex parte application filed by Mr Obi through his lawyer, Chisom Ibemesi, after his initial efforts to serve Mr Okonkwo failed.

The court permitted Mr Obi to serve the writ of summons and subsequent documents by pasting them at Mr Okonkwo's last known residential address, NPR 48 Ofuluonu, Nsukka, Enug...