By Eshioromeh Sebastian
The Obidient-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement has declared that it will not be intimidated by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), insisting that it does not require the personal validation or approval of any individual before carrying out its legitimate organisational functions.
The movement stated this on Sunday in Abuja through its National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, while responding to a statement by the NDC National Chairman, Sen. Moses Cleopas, which disowned the 59-member presidential campaign council recently unveiled by the movement.
The OK Movement had on Thursday unveiled the campaign council, with John Ughulu as National Director-General and Saadatu Sani as National Secretary. But the NDC, in a statement on Saturday, distanced itself from the council and urged the public to disregard it.
‘We Recognise Party Supremacy, But We Are Independent’
In her response, Sani said the movement recognises the supremacy of political parties within constitutional and statutory spheres, but maintained that the OK Movement remains an independent organisation with its own leadership and internal processes.
“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.
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.
Sani said the movement was established from the grassroots and does not depend on sponsorship from any individual or political office holder for its activities.
She added that the movement was not seeking political appointments or positions within the NDC as a condition for its support, saying its principles remained its guiding values.
According to her, the movement has developed a nationwide grassroots structure, with internal membership records indicating approximately 2.5 million registered members and coordinators, supported by relevant data.
She stressed that the 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.
Sani also responded to allegations concerning Ughulu and his alleged involvement in the Lagos State primaries, saying the matter deserved clarification.
She said the movement would continue to defend its members whenever their integrity was questioned, while maintaining that it would not engage in personal insults or defamatory exchanges.
She called on the NDC national chairman to withdraw statements considered defamatory and apologise to the OK Movement and 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 said.
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.
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