OK Movement fires at Dickson, vows not to surrender structure to NDC

The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, has rejected moves to place its structures under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), insisting that it will retain its independent organisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The movement’s Director-General, John Ughulu, stated this on Wednesday while responding to comments by NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, that support groups should not compete with political parties or establish structures that perform the role of official campaign machinery.

Dickson had criticised the decision by the OK Movement to constitute a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council for the NDC presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, describing such an arrangement as inappropriate for a support group.

Reacting, Ughulu said the OK Movement was not a conventional support group created as an extension of a political party but an independent political organisation with its own structures.

He said the movement’s national, state, local government and ward structures would not be collapsed or transferred to 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.

Ughulu argued that the movement comprises members from different political backgrounds united by support for Obi and Kwankwaso, adding that its organisational independence must be respected.

He also rejected Dickson’s description of the campaign council arrangement as “nonsensical”, saying the political landscape had evolved beyond traditional party structures.

“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 said.

The OK Movement maintained that its cooperation with the NDC did not amount to organisational control by the party, adding that it would continue to mobilise support for the NDC candidates while maintaining its own identity.

The disagreement followed the NDC’s decision to distance itself from the 59-member campaign council announced by the movement.

The party had said the structure was not authorised by its National Working Committee and that no individual, candidate or support group could establish a campaign structure on behalf of the party without approval.

The NDC is expected to constitute its official Presidential Campaign Council after consultations involving Obi, Kwankwaso and party leaders.