The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, has demanded an immediate apology from the Nigeria Democratic Congress over remarks concerning its presidential campaign council.
The movement criticised NDC National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, following his comments about the group’s recently announced 59-member campaign council. It also rejected what it described as intimidation and insisted that it would maintain its independence.
The movement’s National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, made the position known in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
The disagreement followed the unveiling of the campaign council on Thursday. The group said the council would help mobilise support for the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The dispute has added to political developments ahead of the 2027 elections, including discussions around Peter Obi’s political activities and the growing organisation of campaign groups.
NDC Disowns OK Movement’s Campaign Council
The NDC had earlier distanced itself from the campaign council announced by the OK Movement.
In a statement released on Saturday night, Cleopas said the council did not originate from the party and should be disregarded.
He also warned that no individual, candidate or support group could establish or announce a campaign structure in the party’s name without prior approval from its National Working Committee.
The chairman’s comments prompted a response from the movement, which said his position reflected a misunderstanding of its structure and independence.
The NDC’s statement also raised questions about the relationship between the party and groups supporting its candidates.
Similar political developments have featured in reports about the NDC’s activities in Enugu.
OK Movement Calls for Withdrawal and Apology
Responding on Sunday, Sani described Cleopas’s remarks as unfortunate. She urged the NDC chairman to familiarise himself with the party’s constitution before making assertions about the movement’s rights and responsibilities.
Sani said the group would not engage in personal insults or defamatory exchanges. Instead, she maintained that it would continue to promote its principles and defend its members.
She called on Cleopas to withdraw the statements the movement considered defamatory. She also demanded an immediate apology to the OK Movement and its Director General, Hon. John Ughulu.
The group said it would not allow the dispute to distract it from its organisational activities.
Political disagreements have also featured in other recent reports, including Wike’s response to Uzodimma over the Rainbow Coalition.
Movement Says It Will Support NDC Candidates
Sani said the OK Movement recognised the authority of political parties within their constitutional and statutory responsibilities.
She explained that the group intended to campaign for Obi and Kwankwaso. It would also support NDC candidates across the country in areas where the movement decided to back them.
However, she stressed that supporting the party’s candidates did not make the movement a subordinate structure of the NDC.
According to Sani, the organisation did not need personal validation or approval from an individual to perform its legitimate functions.
The movement maintained that it would continue its political work while respecting the party’s role within its own structures.
Other campaign-related developments include Adebayo’s call for Nigerian youths to take politics beyond social media.
OK Movement Claims 2.5 Million Members Nationwide
The movement’s secretary said the organisation had established a nationwide grassroots structure.
She added that its internal database contained approximately 2.5 million registered members and coordinators.
Sani also rejected the suggestion that the OK Movement was merely a temporary support group formed for the 2027 elections.
She described it as an organisation with a long-term political vision and its own leadership, structure and internal processes.
The movement said its independence remained central to its identity, even as it supported candidates of the NDC.
The group’s position comes amid other political mobilisation efforts, including APC stakeholders’ activities ahead of elections in Enugu.
Sani Rejects Allegations Against Ughulu
Sani also addressed allegations concerning Ughulu’s involvement in the Lagos State primary.
She said the movement welcomed the opportunity to place its position on record. However, the statement did not provide further details about the allegations or the group’s account of the events.
The secretary reiterated that the OK Movement would not participate in personal attacks, intimidation or defamatory exchanges.
She said the organisation would continue to defend its members whenever their integrity came under question.
The movement maintained that it would pursue its political objectives while preserving its independence and internal processes.
Related political coverage includes the Presidency’s response to Peter Obi’s claims about Anambra’s debt.
Movement Insists It Will Not Be Intimidated
The OK Movement said it would continue educating the public and defending the principles on which it was established.
It maintained that its support for Obi, Kwankwaso and selected NDC candidates did not place it under the personal control of any party official.
The group’s demand for an apology now forms the centre of its response to the NDC chairman’s comments.
The party had said the campaign council lacked its approval, while the movement insists it retains the right to carry out its organisational functions.
The dispute highlights differing positions between the party leadership and the movement over campaign structures and organisational independence.
