The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, on Wednesday, vowed not to collapse or surrender its structure to the Nigeria Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 election.
The Director-General of the OK Movement, John Ughulu, said the movement would not allow the NDC or any other organisation to absorb its national, state, local government, and ward structures.
Ughulu was reacting to comments by the NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, on the role of support groups in the party’s 2027 campaign.
Dickson had argued that political groups should complement the political party rather than compete with it or operate as parallel structures.
The senator spoke at the unveiling of former Secretary General to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, in Abuja on Tuesday.
The former Bayelsa governor said multiple support groups are normal in political campaigns, stressing that such groups should complement, not compete with, the political party sponsoring their candidates.
Dickson also described the OK Movement’s decision to establish a presidential campaign council as “unheard of” and “nonsensical”, while stressing that the NDC would continue to work with support groups but expected them to operate within their proper role.
However, Ughulu argued that the movement was different from conventional support groups, insisting that it was an independent political organisation.
He said, “I strongly agree with the position expressed by Senator Seriake Dickson. However, there appears to be a missing link in the argument currently being advanced.
“If the Obidient Movement is regarded as a support movement, and if the Obidients and Kwankwasiyya have equally been described by Idris Zekeri, while claiming to speak on behalf of Peter Obi, as a support movement, then it becomes necessary to properly define the identity and status of the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, the OK Movement is not a support group created as an appendage of any political party or another movement. It is independently organised, managed and structured through its own established movement mechanisms.”
Continuing, Ughulu also rejected Dickson’s description of the movement’s decision to establish a campaign council as “nonsensical”.
According to him, the movement comprises members of different political parties who support the NDC presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
“The OK Movement comprises individuals and members from different political parties who share a common commitment to the ideals, values and political aspirations represented by the presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso,” he stated.
“The OK Movement comprises individuals and members from different political parties who share a common commitment to the ideals, values and political aspirations represented by the presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso,” he stated.
He said the movement would continue to mobilise support for the candidates while retaining its organisational independence.
The DG also vowed that the movement would retain its independence and internal administration, stressing that its political cooperation with the NDC did not amount to organisational subordination.
“The OK Movement remains an independent organisation. Its existence and internal administration are not subject to the internal management of the NDC.
“The OK Movement will not be collapsed, merged or subsumed into the NDC or any other organisation. Cooperation and political alignment do not extinguish the independent identity of the Movement,” he said.
“Our organisational structure remains the property and responsibility of the OK Movement. We will not surrender our established national, state, local government and ward structures to any political party or external support group for management,” he said.