The OK Movement has been thrown into fresh crisis following the resignation of its National Head of Operations, Hon. Engr. Francis Nnoli, who cited a widening disconnect between the movement and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as his reason for stepping down.
In a resignation statement made available to journalists in Abuja, Nnoli said he could no longer continue serving in a structure whose direction he no longer trusted.
“I can no longer, in good conscience, continue to serve in a structure whose direction I no longer trust,” he said.
The development marks a significant blow to the movement, which has positioned itself as a support base for the Obi-Kwankwaso presidential ticket.
At the centre of the crisis is a fundamental disagreement over the movement’s relationship with the NDC.
Nnoli believes the OK Movement must operate with clear political discipline and structural alignment with the NDC.
“We cannot build a credible campaign outside the authority of the political party,” he stated. “There must be political discipline and structural clarity.”
However, the movement’s Director-General, John Ugulu, has publicly maintained that the OK Movement is an independent organisation with no formal ties to the NDC.
“We are an independent organisation. We do not require the endorsement or directives of any political party,” Ugulu had said.
That position, according to sources, did not sit well with Nnoli, who saw it as a recipe for confusion and weakened coordination ahead of 2027.
Matters came to a head when the NDC, through its National Chairman, Cleopas Moses, issued a statement disowning a 59-member “Presidential Campaign Council” announced by the OK Movement.
“The party leadership is the only body vested with the authority to constitute and announce such a structure,” Moses said. “Any group parading such a body does so without the blessing of the NDC.”
The public rebuke exposed the deepening fissure between the movement and the party, leaving Nnoli with what associates describe as an untenable position.
Sources close to the former operations chief stressed that his resignation does not amount to a rejection of the Obi-Kwankwaso political project.
“I remain committed to the Obi-Kwankwaso vision,” Nnoli said. “This resignation is not a rejection of that project. It is a stand for structure, discipline, and credibility.”
In his statement, Nnoli called on supporters of the movement to resist the temptation of establishing parallel structures.
“Let us avoid parallel structures. Let us respect the authority of the political party. That is the only way we can build a coordinated and credible campaign for 2027,” he urged.
Nnoli’s exit is not the first leadership shake-up to hit the OK Movement.
In August 2026, former Director-General Peter Ameh resigned for personal campaign reasons, paving the way for Ugulu’s emergence. The movement has also weathered reports of internal leadership disputes in recent months.
Observers say the latest resignation raises fresh questions about the movement’s internal cohesion and its ability to function as a credible support structure ahead of the next general elections.
It remains unclear whether other officials sympathetic to Nnoli’s position will follow him out the door.
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