The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement (OK Movement) has demanded an immediate apology from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) following remarks by the party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, regarding the movement’s newly announced 59-member Presidential Campaign Council.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, OK Movement’s National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, asserted that the group would not be intimidated or pressured to relinquish its autonomy. She emphasised that the OK Movement remains an independent political organisation with its own leadership, structure, and internal processes.
This demand comes in response to the NDC’s decision to distance itself from the campaign council unveiled by the OK Movement on Thursday to mobilise support for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
In a statement released Saturday night, Cleopas declared that the campaign council was not established by the party and should be disregarded. He further warned that no individual, candidate, or support group is authorised to form or announce a campaign structure in the party’s name without approval from the NDC’s National Working Committee.
Responding, Sani described Cleopas’s stance as regrettable and reflective of a misunderstanding of the movement’s independence. She urged the NDC chairman to familiarise himself with the party’s constitution before making assertions about the movement’s rights and responsibilities.
“The OK Movement does not participate in politics of personal attacks, intimidation, or defamation,” Sani stated. “We prefer to educate rather than abuse. We remain committed to defending the founding principles of this movement. The NDC National Chairman is therefore urged to withdraw his defamatory statements and issue an immediate apology to the OK Movement and our Director General, Hon. John Ughulu.”
The movement reiterated its respect for the authority of political parties within their constitutional limits and affirmed its intention to campaign for Obi, Kwankwaso, and NDC candidates as it deems appropriate. However, Sani made clear that such support does not render the OK Movement subordinate to the party.
“We will campaign for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the party and support NDC candidates nationwide where our movement has resolved to do so,” Sani said. “But we do not need validation or approval from any individual to carry out our legitimate organisational functions.”
Sani highlighted the OK Movement’s extensive grassroots network and internal database, representing around 2.5 million registered members and coordinators across Nigeria. She also stressed that the movement is not a temporary support group formed for the 2027 elections, but an organisation with a long-term political vision.
Addressing allegations involving Ughulu’s role in the Lagos State primary, Sani welcomed the chance to clarify the movement’s position and reaffirmed their commitment to defending members against attacks on their integrity.
