The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, has demanded an immediate apology from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) over comments made by the party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, regarding its recently unveiled 59-member Presidential Campaign Council.
The movement also rejected what it described as intimidation, insisting that it remained an independent political organisation with its own leadership, structure and internal processes.
The National Secretary of the movement, Saadatu Sani, made the position known in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
The development followed the NDC’s decision to dissociate itself from the 59-member campaign council unveiled by the movement on Thursday to mobilise support for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
In a statement on Saturday night, Cleopas said the campaign council did not emanate from the NDC and should be disregarded.
He also warned that no individual, candidate or support group was authorised to constitute or announce a campaign structure in the party’s name without prior approval from the National Working Committee.
Responding, Sani described the NDC chairman’s position as unfortunate and said it reflected a misunderstanding of the movement’s character and independence.
She urged Cleopas to familiarise himself with the NDC constitution before making further assertions about the rights and responsibilities of the movement.
“The NDC national chairman is therefore called upon to withdraw the statements considered defamatory and to tender an immediate apology to the OK Movement and to our Director General, Hon. John Ughulu,” Sani said.
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She added that the movement would not be drawn into personal attacks or exchanges, saying it would continue to promote the principles upon which it was established.
Sani said the movement recognised the constitutional and statutory role of political parties and would campaign for Obi and Kwankwaso, as well as NDC candidates across the country in areas where it had resolved to support them.
However, she stressed that such support did not make the OK Movement a subordinate structure of the NDC.
“But we do not require the personal validation or approval of any individual before exercising our legitimate organisational functions,” she said.
According to Sani, the movement has developed a nationwide grassroots structure with an internal database representing approximately 2.5 million registered members and coordinators.
She further described the OK Movement as a long-term political organisation rather than a temporary support group created solely for the 2027 elections.
The movement also rejected allegations concerning Ughulu’s involvement in the Lagos State primary, saying it welcomed the opportunity to put its position on the matter on record.
Sani maintained that the movement would continue to defend its members when their integrity was questioned while avoiding what she described as politics of intimidation and personal insults.
