Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has rejected the presidential campaign council recently established by the Obidient-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement, saying support groups should not assume the role of the political party.
Obi made the clarification on Thursday during an appearance on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme.
The former Anambra State governor said the NDC is the political platform to which he, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, his running mate, and their supporters belong.
He said the OK Movement, Obidient groups, Kwankwasiyya and other organisations should operate as support groups for the party rather than create structures that could be mistaken for official party organs.
“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.”
Obi Denies Approving Campaign Council
Asked whether the OK Movement established the campaign council with his knowledge or approval, Obi said it did 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.
His comments followed the unveiling of a 59-member presidential campaign council by the OK Movement on September 17.
The movement said the council was created to support the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Its members included zonal and state coordinators, as well as directors overseeing mobilisation, women’s affairs, strategy, security and legal affairs.
John Ughulu, the movement’s director-general, and Saadatu Sani, its national secretary, were appointed director-general and secretary of the campaign council respectively.
NDC Disowns OK Movement Structure
The NDC subsequently distanced itself from the campaign council, saying the structure did not originate from the party.
Cleopas Moses, the NDC national chairman, said only the party leadership had the authority to constitute and announce a presidential campaign council.
He urged the public to disregard the list.
The OK Movement, however, rejected the party’s position, arguing that it did not require the approval of any individual within the NDC to carry out its organisational activities.
Sani said the movement would continue campaigning for the NDC’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates, as well as other candidates it had chosen to support.
Dickson Criticises Campaign Council
Seriake Dickson, national leader of the NDC, also criticised the decision by the OK Movement to establish a presidential campaign council.
Dickson said support groups should focus on grassroots mobilisation and should not compete with political parties or assume their responsibilities.
“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 OK Movement’s decision to establish the campaign council as “nonsensical”.
