The Obidient-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement says it does not require the approval of any individual within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) before exercising its legitimate organisational functions in accordance with established processes.
In a statement on Sunday, Saadatu Sani, OK Movement national secretary, faulted the party’s rejection of the 59-member presidential campaign council set up by the Obi-Kwankwaso supporters.
OK movement is a political group supporting Peter Obi, NDC presidential candidate and Rabiu Kwankwaso, his running mate for the 2027 election.
On Thursday, the group unveiled the campaign council, with John Ughulu appointed as national director-general and Sani as national secretary.
However, in a statement issued on Saturday, Cleopas Moses, NDC national chairman, dissociated the opposition party from the purported presidential campaign council, and called on the public to disregard it.
Moses noted that the party’s candidates were subject to the authority and discipline of the NDC, adding that only its leadership could constitute and announce a presidential campaign council.
Sani urged NDC national chairman to familiarise himself with the party’s constitution before making unguided assertions.
She said while the movement recognises the supremacy of political parties within constitutional and statutory spheres, it remains an independent organisation with its leadership and internal processes.
She insisted that the movement would campaign for the NDC presidential and vice-presidential candidates, as well as other party candidates where it had resolved to support them.
“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.
Sani said the movement was established from the grassroots and did not depend on sponsorship from any individual or political office holder for its activities.
She further stated that the movement was not seeking political appointments or positions within the NDC as a condition for its support, saying its principles remained guiding values.
Sani said the movement had developed a nationwide grassroots structure, with internal membership records indicating approximately 2.5 million registered members and coordinators, supported by relevant data.
According to her, OK Movement is not a temporary support group created for an election cycle, but an organisation with philosophy, structure and long-term vision.
“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.
Sani also responded to allegations concerning Ughulu and his alleged involvement in the Lagos state primaries, saying the matter deserved clarification.
She said the movement would continue to defend members whenever their integrity was being questioned, while maintaining that it would not engage in personal insults or defamatory exchanges.
Sani called on the NDC national chairman to 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 added.
Sani stated that the movement’s principles remained non-negotiable, stressing that its focus was on organisational values, independence, accountability and long-term objectives for Nigeria.