- OK Movement Blasts Party Leadership Over Rejection Of Council, Says We Don’t Need Approval, Demands Apology
- NDC Insists Only Party Leadership Can Constitute Presidential Campaign Council
A fresh crisis is brewing within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a bitter dispute over the composition of the 2027 presidential campaign council pits the Obidient-Kwankwasiya (OK) Movement against the party’s national leadership.
The rift erupted after the OK Movement unveiled a 59-member presidential campaign council, only for the NDC national chairman, Cleopas Moses, to disown the body and direct members of the public to disregard it.
But the movement has hit back, insisting that it does not require the approval of any individual within the opposition party to carry out its organisational activities.
The confrontation has exposed growing tensions over the authority of the NDC leadership, the independence of grassroots support groups and the structure of the campaign machinery for the 2027 presidential election.
OK Movement: We Don’t Need NDC Approval
In a statement issued on Sunday, the national secretary of the OK Movement, Saadatu Sani, accused the NDC national chairman of making “unguided assertions” and urged him to familiarise himself with the party’s constitution.
Sani was reacting to a statement issued by Moses on Saturday, in which the NDC chairman dissociated the party from the purported presidential campaign council announced by the movement.
Moses had maintained that the party’s candidates were subject to the authority and discipline of the NDC, stressing that only the party leadership had the power to constitute and announce a presidential campaign council.
The council, unveiled on Thursday by supporters of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, named John Ughulu as national director-general and Sani as national secretary.
However, rejecting the NDC’s position, Sani declared that the OK Movement remained an independent political organisation with its own leadership, structure and internal processes.
“The OK Movement does not require the personal validation or approval of any individual before exercising its legitimate organisational functions in accordance with established processes,” she said.
She added that while the movement recognised the supremacy of political parties within constitutional and statutory spheres, it would continue to operate independently.
According to Sani, the OK Movement would campaign for the NDC presidential and vice-presidential candidates, as well as other party candidates where it had resolved to support them.
She said the movement was built from the grassroots and did not depend on the sponsorship of any individual or political office holder to function.
“We are not seeking political appointments or positions within the NDC as a condition for our support,” she stated, insisting that the movement’s principles remained non-negotiable.
Sani further claimed that the OK Movement had approximately 2.5 million registered members and coordinators nationwide, supported by internal membership records and relevant data.
She described the organisation as more than a temporary support group created for an election cycle, saying it had a defined philosophy, a structured membership base and a long-term vision for Nigeria.
“We speak for Nigerians who are demanding a better political system, economic opportunity, accountability and a government that places citizens at the centre,” she said.
Dispute Over Ughulu Deepens Rift
The OK Movement secretary also addressed allegations surrounding Ughulu and his alleged involvement in the Lagos State primaries, saying the matter required clarification rather than unsubstantiated accusations.
She vowed that the movement would defend its members whenever their integrity was questioned, while maintaining that it would not descend into personal insults or defamatory exchanges.
Sani consequently demanded that the NDC national chairman withdraw statements considered defamatory and tender an apology to the OK Movement and Ughulu.
“The OK Movement will not compromise its standards. The OK Movement will not surrender its independence. The OK Movement will not be intimidated,” she declared.
The latest confrontation came against the backdrop of a separate statement by Osas Director, which sought to downplay reports of tension between the NDC and the two support movements.
NDC: We Love Obidient, Kwankwasiya Movements
In the statement titled “NDC Loves Obidient And Kwankwasiya Movements,” Director described the Obidient and Kwankwasiya movements as among the most resilient and consistent political movements in Nigeria’s recent history.
He argued that any political party would be proud to have their support, insisting that their presence within the NDC was a source of political strength.
“In Nigeria’s recent political history, the Obidient and Kwankwasiya movements have proven to be the most resilient, consistent, and trustworthy in the defence of their beliefs,” he said.
Director maintained that the NDC and the OK Movement remained united in their commitment to securing victory for Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates, respectively.
He dismissed claims that the NDC was hostile to the movement, describing such narratives as attempts to sow division within the opposition camp.
“The NDC loves the Obidient and Kwankwasiya movements, and together, we shall make a New Nigeria POssible!” he declared.
Director also alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was uncomfortable with the influence of the two movements, urging supporters to disregard what he described as politically motivated narratives.
The conflicting statements, however, have left unresolved the central question of who has the authority to constitute and publicly announce the NDC’s presidential campaign council, with the party leadership and the OK Movement maintaining sharply different positions on the matter.
