The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, has demanded an immediate apology from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) over alleged intimidation, warning that it will not be cowed, the statements by the party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, concerning its recently unveiled 59-member Presidential Campaign Council.
The movement also warned that it would not be intimidated or surrender its independence, insisting that it remained an independent political organisation with its own leadership, structure and internal processes.
The movement’s National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, gave the warning in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
The development followed the NDC’s decision to dissociate itself from the campaign council unveiled by the group on Thursday to mobilise support for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The NDC, in a statement by Cleopas on Saturday night, said the council did not emanate from the party and should be disregarded.
Cleopas 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 its National Working Committee.
But responding in a statement on Sunday, Sani described the position of the NDC chairman as unfortunate and said it reflected a misunderstanding of the movement’s character and independence.
Sani urged Cleopas to familiarise himself with the NDC constitution before making assertions about the rights and responsibilities of the movement.
She 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. We will continue to defend the principles upon which this movement was established.
“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.”
The movement said it recognised the supremacy of political parties within their constitutional and statutory spheres and would campaign for Obi and Kwankwaso as well as NDC candidates that it resolves to support across the country.
However, the group insisted that such support did not make it a subordinate structure of the party.
“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,” Sani said.
According to her, the movement had developed a nationwide grassroots structure with an internal database representing approximately 2.5 million registered members and coordinators.
She emphasised that the movement was not a temporary support group created for the 2027 elections but an organisation with a long-term political vision.
The OK Movement secretary also rejected allegations concerning Ughulu’s involvement in the Lagos State primary and said they welcomed the opportunity to put their position on record.
Sani said they would not engage in what she described as personal insults, intimidation or defamatory exchanges, adding that they would continue to defend its members when their integrity was questioned.
