OK Movement Reacts Strongly As NDC Disowns Its Presidential Campaign Council List

The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement has strongly pushed back against the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), asserting that it will not submit to intimidation.

This response follows the NDC’s complete detachment from the earlier rollout of the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

In an official statement signed on Saturday night by the NDC National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses, the party stressed that the authority to form and announce a Presidential Campaign Council rests strictly with party leadership.

Responding to the development, the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement stated that the political party—whose presidential flagbearer Peter Obi and running mate Rabiu Kwankwaso it seeks to back—has fundamentally misconstrued the core identity, organization, independence, and constitutional foundation of the support movement.

In a counter-statement issued on Sunday by its National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement urged the NDC National Chairman to properly review his own party’s constitution before making broad claims regarding the rights and autonomy of independent organizations like OK.

The group also demanded that the NDC leadership retract comments it deemed libellous and render an unreserved apology to both the OK Movement and its National Director-General, Hon. John Ughulu.

“The attention of the leadership of the OK Movement has been drawn to a recent publication attributed to the National Chairman of the NDC Party, Senator Cleopas Moses,” the statement read.

“We consider the tone and substance of the publication unfortunate and reflective of a serious misunderstanding of the character, structure, independence and constitutional foundation of the OK Movement.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we advise the National Chairman to carefully revisit and familiarise himself with the constitution of his own party before making sweeping assertions about the rights, responsibilities and independence of a movement such as ours.”

The movement emphasized that its core mission transcends any single individual or elected official, noting that the principles guiding its foundation will endure far beyond its present executive leadership.

“Our principles cannot be compromised for political convenience. Our words are clear, and our moral values remain our guiding principles.

“The OK Movement recognises the supremacy of political parties within their constitutional and statutory sphere. We also recognise the importance of working with the NDC Party and supporting its candidates.

“However, the OK Movement is an independent political movement with its own leadership, organisational structure, ideology and internal processes.

“We will campaign for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the party. We will campaign for candidates of the NDC Party across the country where the movement has resolved to support them.

“But we do not require the personal validation or approval of any individual before exercising our legitimate organisational functions.

“Our movement is organic. It was built from the grassroots and does not depend upon the sponsorship of any individual or political office holder. Neither are we seeking political appointments or positions within the party as a condition for our support.

“The OK Movement has developed a nationwide grassroots structure and, according to our internal membership records, has established a database representing approximately 2.5 million registered members and coordinators with supporting data. Our movement is therefore not a temporary support group created for an election cycle,” the statement added.

Furthermore, the OK Movement asserted that it will refrain from engaging in personal smear campaigns or hostile altercations, choosing instead to focus on political enlightenment and factual engagement.

“The National Chairman is therefore called upon to withdraw the statements considered defamatory and to tender an immediate apology to the OK Movement and to the National Director-General, Hon. John Ughulu.

“Let it be clearly understood: the OK Movement will not compromise its standards.

“The OK Movement will not surrender its independence.

“The OK Movement will not be intimidated. Our principles are not negotiable. Our movement is bigger than any individual,” it concluded.