The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi , has disowned the presidential campaign council established by the Obidient-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement.
Speaking on Thursday during an appearance on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme, Obi said the movement should support the NDC rather than take on functions belonging to the political party.
The former Anambra governor said the NDC is the party to which he, his running mate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and their supporters belong, while the OK Movement, Obidient groups, Kwankwasiyya and other organisations serve 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 was established with his knowledge or approval, Obi said it was 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 came after the OK Movement unveiled a 59-member presidential campaign council 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.
The NDC subsequently distanced itself from the structure, stating that the campaign council did not originate from the party.
Cleopas Moses, the NDC national chairman, said only the party leadership could establish and announce a presidential campaign council, urging the public to disregard the list.
The OK Movement, however, rejected the party’s position, maintaining that it did not need the approval of any individual within the NDC to carry out its organisational responsibilities.
Sani said the movement would continue to campaign for the NDC’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates, as well as other party candidates it had chosen to support.
Seriake Dickson, national leader of the NDC, later criticised the movement’s decision to establish the council.
Dickson said support groups should focus on grassroots mobilisation for political parties and should not compete with or assume the responsibilities 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 OK Movement’s decision to establish a presidential campaign council as “nonsensical”.