‘It was formed without my approval’ — Obi rejects OK Movement campaign council
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has distanced himself from the presidential campaign council put together by the Obidient-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement.
Speaking on Thursday during an appearance on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme, Obi said the group should support the party, and not assume the responsibilities of NDC.
The former Anambra governor said the NDC is the political party to which he, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, his running mate; and their supporters belong, with the OK Movement, Obidient groups, Kwankwasiyya and other organisations as support groups.
“First, NDC is the political party we all belong to. And I agree entirely with the position of the leader (Seriake Dickson),” Obi said.
“OK Movement, Obidient group, Kwankwasiyya, and other support groups are supporting groups. They must play their role as support groups, supporting the party.
“They should not play the role of the party. We’ve found a situation where one of the supporting groups is using the nomenclature, that is forming Presidential Campaign Council. It shouldn’t be. No.”
Asked whether the OK Movement campaign council had been created with his knowledge or approval, Obi said it had not.
“Not at all. And I say it here, it is wrong. You are supporting — OK Movement is Obi and Kwankwaso. So whatever you do must have express approval of both of us,” he said.
Obi’s comments followed the unveiling of a 59-member presidential campaign council by the OK Movement on September 17.
The movement said the council would support the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with its membership including zonal and state coordinators and directors responsible for mobilisation, women’s affairs, strategy, security and legal affairs.
John Ughulu, the movement’s director-general, and Saadatu Sani, its national secretary, were named director-general and secretary of the campaign council respectively.
The NDC subsequently distanced itself from the structure, saying the campaign council did not emanate from the party.
Cleopas Moses, NDC national chairman, said only the party leadership could constitute and announce a presidential campaign council and asked the public to disregard the list.
But the OK Movement rejected the party’s position, saying it does not require the approval of any individual within the NDC to carry out its organisational functions.
Sani said the movement would continue to campaign for the NDC presidential and vice-presidential candidates as well as other party candidates it had resolved to support.
Seriake Dickson, national leader of the NDC, subsequently criticised the movement’s decision to establish the council.
Dickson said support groups should provide grassroots mobilisation for political parties and should not compete with or assume the role of the party.
“Support groups don’t compete with the political party that is sponsoring candidates. Support groups don’t compete for supremacy and space,” he said.
He described the decision by the OK Movement to establish a presidential campaign council as “nonsensical”.
