The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, has demanded an apology from the Nigeria Democratic Congress over comments made by the party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, regarding its 59-member Presidential Campaign Council.
The movement also rejected what it described as attempts to intimidate it, insisting that it remained an independent political organisation with its own leadership and internal structures.
The National Secretary of the movement, Saadatu Sani, made the position known in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
The dispute followed the unveiling of the 59-member campaign council by the movement on Thursday to mobilise support for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
However, Cleopas, in a statement on Saturday, dissociated the NDC from the council, saying it was not authorised by the party and should therefore be disregarded.
He also maintained that individuals, candidates or support groups could not establish or announce campaign structures in the name of the party without approval from its National Working Committee.
Reacting, Sani described the chairman’s position as unfortunate and said it showed a misunderstanding of the status and independence of the OK Movement.
She urged the NDC chairman to review the party’s constitution before making further statements about the movement.
Sani said, “The OK Movement does not engage in such politics. We will not be dragged into a politics of personal insults, intimidation or defamatory exchanges. We will continue to educate rather than abuse and defend the principles upon which this movement was established.
“The NDC national chairman is therefore called upon to withdraw the statements considered defamatory and tender an immediate apology to the OK Movement and our Director-General, Hon. John Ughulu.”
The movement acknowledged the authority of political parties within their constitutional and legal responsibilities, saying it would campaign for Obi and Kwankwaso as well as other NDC candidates it chooses to support across the country.
However, it stressed that its decision to support the candidates did not make it a subordinate structure of the NDC.
Sani said, “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.”
According to the movement, it has established a nationwide grassroots network with an internal database of about 2.5 million registered members and coordinators.
Sani further described the OK Movement as a long-term political organisation rather than a temporary support group established solely for the 2027 general elections.
She also rejected allegations concerning Ughulu’s role in the Lagos State primary, saying the movement was prepared to clarify its position on the matter.
The movement maintained that it would continue to defend its members when their integrity was questioned while avoiding personal attacks and defamatory exchanges.
