The Obidient-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement has said that it does not require the personal validation or approval of any individual within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) before exercising its legitimate organisational functions in accordance with established processes.
The OK Movement National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, stated this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Former Governor of Anambra State Peter Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso are the presidential and vice presidential candidates of the NDC.
Ms Sani rejected a statement credited to the party’s National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, urging him to familiarise himself with NDC’s constitution before making assertions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that OK Movement had, on Thursday, unveiled a 59-member presidential campaign council, with John Ughulu as national director-general and Ms Sani as national secretary.
However, NDC, in a statement issued on Saturday, dissociated itself from the purported presidential campaign council, calling on the public to disregard it.
Ms Sani, in her statement, said the movement recognised the supremacy of political parties within constitutional and statutory spheres, but maintained that it remained an independent organisation with its leadership and internal processes.
She insisted that the movement would campaign for the NDC presidential and vice-presidential candidates as well as other party candidates where it had resolved to support them.
“The OK Movement does not require the personal validation or approval of any individual before exercising its legitimate organisational functions in accordance with established processes,” she said.
Ms Sani said the movement was established from the grassroots and did not depend on sponsorship from any individual or political office holder for its activities.
She further stated that the movement was not seeking political appointments or positions within the NDC as a condition for its support, saying its principles remained guiding values.
Ms Sani said the movement had developed a nationwide grassroots structure, with internal membership records indicating approximately 2.5 million registered members and coordinators, supported by relevant data.
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According to her, OK Movement is not a temporary support group created for an election cycle, but an organisation with philosophy, structure and long-term vision.
“We speak for Nigerians who are demanding a better political system, economic opportunity, accountability and a government that places citizens at the centre,” she said.
Ms Sani also responded to allegations concerning Mr Ughulu and his alleged involvement in the Lagos State primaries, saying the matter deserved clarification.
She said the movement would continue to defend members whenever their integrity was being questioned, while maintaining that it would not engage in personal insults or defamatory exchanges.
Ms Sani called on the NDC national chairman to withdraw statements considered defamatory and tender an apology to the OK Movement and Mr Ughulu.
“The OK Movement will not compromise its standards. The OK Movement will not surrender its independence. The OK Movement will not be intimidated,” she added.
Ms Sani stated that the movement’s principles remained non-negotiable, stressing that its focus was on organisational values, independence, accountability and long-term objectives for Nigeria.
(NAN)
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