Obi-Kwankwaso Campaign in Turmoil as NDC, OK Movement Fight Over Control

…OK Movement says it does not need NDC’s approval to perform ‘organisational functions’, as 6,000 members dump party for PDP in Enugu

By Chike Ofili
A major dispute over control of the Peter Obi-Rabiu Kwankwaso presidential campaign structure has erupted within the Nigeria Democratic Congress, with the OK Movement openly challenging the authority of the party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, even as the NDC grapples with the reported defection of more than 6,000 members in Enugu State.

The confrontation followed the unveiling by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement of a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council, which the national leadership of the NDC promptly disowned, insisting that only the party could constitute and announce such a body.

The OK Movement named John Ughulu as National Director-General and Saadatu Sani as National Secretary of the council, alongside zonal and state coordinators and directors responsible for mobilisation, women’s affairs, strategy, security, and legal affairs.

But Cleopas declared that the council did not emanate from the NDC and directed the public and media to disregard it.

The chairman stressed that Obi, Kwankwaso, and other NDC candidates were products of the party rather than independent candidates and remained subject to its authority and discipline.

He also warned support groups against establishing structures that could operate as parallel organs of the party and said Ughulu would be referred to the appropriate disciplinary organ over alleged infractions.

The OK Movement hit back on Sunday, declaring that it did not need the “personal validation or approval” of any individual to perform its organisational functions.

Sani, who issued the response, acknowledged the constitutional and statutory supremacy of political parties but maintained that the OK Movement was an independent organisation with its own leadership and internal processes. She urged Cleopas to familiarise himself with the NDC constitution before making assertions about the group.

The movement further demanded that the NDC chairman withdraw statements it considered defamatory and apologise to both the organisation and Ughulu.

“The OK Movement will not compromise its standards. The OK Movement will not surrender its independence. The OK Movement will not be intimidated,” Sani declared.

It said its grassroots network had grown to about 2.5 million registered members and coordinators nationwide, describing itself as more than a temporary election support group.

The dispute presents the NDC with the challenge of reconciling the authority of its formal party structure with that of a support organisation established specifically to mobilise for its presidential ticket.

Meanwhile, the party suffered a separate setback in Enugu State at the weekend, where a group claiming more than 6,000 NDC members announced its defection to the People’s Democratic Party.

The defectors, led by Godwin Obasi, said they came from all 260 wards across the state’s 17 local government areas. Obasi said the group left because of dissatisfaction with what he described as the NDC’s choice of unpopular candidates.

PDP State Chairman Vitus Okechi welcomed the defectors and promised them equal rights and participation in the party, while the PDP governorship candidate, Uche Nnaji, described their arrival as a boost ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Enugu NDC has, however, disputed claims that its structures in the state have collapsed, following reports of the mass defection.