The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, has rejected the position of the National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, that support groups must operate under the coordination of the political party, insisting that the movement is an independent political organisation.

The movement said its collaboration with the NDC over the presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso did not amount to organisational subordination, arguing that it had the right to maintain its structures, coordinate its members and establish its own campaign and mobilisation mechanisms.

The position was contained in a statement signed by the National Director-General of the OK Movement, Hon. John Ozyl Ughulu, in reaction to Dickson’s comments that support groups should not compete with the political party sponsoring candidates or establish parallel presidential campaign structures.

Dickson had said on Tuesday that support groups were expected to provide grassroots mobilisation for the NDC candidates rather than assume the functions of the party.

“Support groups don’t compete with the political party that is sponsoring candidates. Support groups don’t compete for supremacy, for space. Support groups are what they are: support,” Dickson said.

But Ughulu said while the OK Movement agreed with Dickson’s description of the Obidient Movement as a support movement, there was a distinction between the Obidient Movement, other support groups and the OK Movement.

“If the Obidient Movement is regarded as a support movement, and if the Obidient Kwankwasiyya Movement has equally been described as a support movement, then it becomes necessary to properly define the identity and status of the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement,” he said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the OK Movement is an independent political organisation. It is not a support group created as an appendage of any political party or another movement.

“It is independently organised, managed and structured through its own established movement mechanisms.”

Ughulu also rejected Dickson’s description of the establishment of a separate campaign council by a support organisation as “nonsensical”, saying political organisation had evolved beyond the conventional party structures.

“So it is not nonsensical as claimed by His Excellency Seriake Dickson. Rather, the National Leader of the NDC Party should come to reality that politics has long evolved from the conventional political system he is used to,” he said.

According to him, the OK Movement comprises members drawn from different political parties who share common political interests around Obi and Kwankwaso, the NDC’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

“The OK Movement comprises individuals and members from different political parties who share a common commitment to the ideals, values and political aspirations represented by the presidential candidate, His Excellency Mr Peter Obi, and vice-presidential candidate of the NDC Party, His Excellency Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,” he said.

The movement maintained that its cooperation with the NDC was based on political alignment rather than organisational control.

“Our cooperation with the NDC Party should therefore be understood as political collaboration, not organisational subordination,” Ughulu said.

He disclosed that the movement would continue to mobilise voters and campaign for the NDC candidates while retaining control of its own structures.

“The OK Movement remains an independent organisation. Its existence and internal administration are not subject to the internal management of the NDC Party,” he said.

“Our loyalty to our preferred candidates is unwavering. We will mobilise, campaign, vote and defend every legitimate vote cast for the candidates we support.”

The movement also rejected any proposal to merge its structures with those of the NDC or another organisation, saying, “The OK Movement will not be collapsed, merged or subsumed into the NDC Party or any other organisation.

“Cooperation and political alignment do not extinguish the independent identity of the Movement.”

Ughulu continued, “Our organisational structure remains the property and responsibility of the OK Movement. We will not surrender our established national, state, local government and ward structures to any political party or external support group for management.”

He also said the movement was not seeking financial dependence on the NDC, stressing that its activities and mobilisation would remain the responsibility of its members.

On the controversial issue of campaign structures, Ughulu said the movement believed it had the right to establish its own campaign council and operational structures in support of Obi and Kwankwaso.

“The Movement has the legitimate organisational right to establish its own campaign structure and strategy.

“We are not aware of any provision of the NDC Party constitution that expressly prohibits an independent political organisation from establishing its own campaign council or mobilisation structure in support of the party’s candidates,” he said.

“The OK Movement does not claim supremacy over the NDC Party, nor does it seek to usurp the constitutional powers of the party,” Ughulu stressed, explaining that the movement merely sought recognition of its right to choose and support candidates, campaign for them, mobilise voters, coordinate its members and volunteers, and establish its own operational structures.

He added that the movement had built structures across the country through the efforts of thousands of members and coordinators, and would resist any attempt to appropriate or dissolve them without the consent of its legitimate organs.

“We did not build the OK Movement overnight. Its structures were established through the commitment, sacrifice and participation of thousands of members and coordinators across the country,” he said.

“No individual can simply declare that structure dissolved, transferred or absorbed without the authority of the Movement’s legitimate organs.”

The group nevertheless said it remained committed to working with the NDC and supporting its presidential ticket in the 2027 election.

“The OK Movement respects the NDC Party and recognises the constitutional authority of the party over its own internal affairs.

“Equally, the NDC Party and every other organisation must recognise the independent identity, structure and legitimate interests of the OK Movement,” the statement said.

The movement said it would pursue any disagreement through lawful and democratic means, adding that it remained committed to peaceful participation in the electoral process.

“We will not be intimidated. We will not surrender our identity. We will not abandon the structures we have built,” Ughulu said.

“And above all, we will continue to participate peacefully, lawfully and decisively in the democratic process and defend every legitimate mandate entrusted to us by the Nigerian people.” (The Sun)