The Obidient-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement has rejected the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) chairman's disavowal of its newly unveiled 59-member presidential campaign council. National Secretary Saadatu Sani stated on Sunday in Abuja that the movement does not require personal validation from any individual within the NDC to carry out its organisational duties. The council, launched on Thursday, includes John Ughulu as national director-general and Sani as national secretary.
NDC National Chairman Moses Cleopas, in a statement on Saturday, distanced the party from the council, urging the public to disregard it. In response, Sani challenged Cleopas to review the party's constitution, asserting that the OK Movement operates independently while supporting the NDC's presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso. She emphasized that the movement was formed from the grassroots, maintains approximately 2.5 million registered members, and is not seeking political appointments in exchange for support.
Sani dismissed allegations linking Ughulu to misconduct in the Lagos State primaries, calling for clarification and defending the integrity of movement members. She demanded that Cleopas retract defamatory statements and issue an apology to both the OK Movement and Ughulu. The movement, she said, remains guided by principles of independence, accountability, and long-term vision, and will not be intimidated into compromising its standards.
The OK Movement asserts independence while backing NDC's candidates, yet operates a campaign structure the party's leadership has publicly rejected. This creates uncertainty over who controls the campaign narrative for Obi and Kwankwaso. If the NDC does not clarify the council's status, supporters may face conflicting directives from parallel structures.
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