The OK Movement has insisted that its position on its presidential campaign structure remains unchanged, declaring that the Presidential Campaign Council it constituted and announced remains valid and operational.
The movement, in a statement signed by its National Director-General, Hon. John Ozyl Ughulu, also reaffirmed its independence from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), saying its internal structure and leadership decisions do not require the approval of the party or any individual leader.
The declaration comes amid an apparent disagreement over the respective organisational roles of the NDC and the OK Movement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The movement said it remained an independent political organisation with its own principles, values, leadership and organisational mechanisms.
“We have stated clearly and consistently that the OK Movement is an independent political organisation. Accordingly, its existence, internal structure, leadership decisions and organisational mechanisms do not require the validation or approval of the National Leader of the NDC Party, HE Senator Seriake Dickson, or any other individual within the party leadership,” it said.
The OK Movement stressed that it recognised all candidates contesting under the NDC platform as potential beneficiaries of its grassroots mobilisation and political structure, arguing that no candidate should consider himself or herself superior to another because of political position, office or proximity to party leadership.
It also rejected any suggestion that it had claimed superiority over the NDC, maintaining that the two organisations were distinct.
“The NDC Party is a political party with its own constitutional structures, while the OK Movement is an independent political organisation with its own principles, values, leadership and organisational framework,” it stated.
The movement further said it did not require financial support from NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, or the party to establish or operate its organisational structure.
According to the statement, the movement’s position on its independence had been communicated before the announcement of its Presidential Campaign Council.
It argued that neither the Nigerian Constitution nor, to its knowledge, the NDC constitution automatically vested exclusive authority in a political party or its candidate to determine the internal organisational structure of an independent political organisation.
“The NDC Party is entitled to constitute its own campaign structures, just as the OK Movement is entitled to organise and manage its own affairs within the limits of applicable law,” it said.
The OK Movement consequently warned against any attempt to “undermine, appropriate, dissolve or otherwise interfere” with what it described as its legitimate structure and leadership.
It, however, said its position was not about confrontation but about “clarity, institutional respect and the protection of organisational independence.”
The movement said it remained willing to engage constructively with the NDC, provided its principles, values and organisational structures were respected.
It added that it would resist what it described as intimidation, coercion or attempts to undermine its structure.
“Our structure remains as announced. Our principles remain unchanged. Our mission remains clear: to mobilise Nigerians towards a better and transformed Nigeria,” the statement said.
The OK Movement said it remained focused and organised as it pursued its stated mission of contributing to the rescue and transformation of Nigeria.
