A fresh crisis is brewing within the Obi/Kwankwaso Movement also known as OK, over moves to remove its founder, John Ughulu, as Director-General.
The movement also is kicking against merging the group with the Nigeria Democratic Congress(NDC).
The OK Movement is a political platform established to mobilise support for the joint ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Airtel Tenancy
The movement’s grassroots leaders across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory have rejected both proposals.
They took the position at a National Leadership Summit held in Abuja on Wednesday.
The summit brought together national leaders, zonal coordinators, state coordinators, local government leaders and ward mobilisers.
In a communiqué issued on Friday, the movement said the National Congress unanimously resolved to retain Ughulu as Director-General.
The leaders said Ughulu built the movement’s grassroots structure from the ward level and remained central to its operations.
They argued that replacing him could weaken the network of volunteers and mobilisers across the country.
“The strength of any political movement rests in its human structure on the ground,” the movement stated.
The group also rejected any plan to merge it with the NDC or another external political organisation.
It said such a move could disrupt its programmes, weaken its identity and undermine the grassroots structure already established.
The movement, however, said it remained willing to cooperate with allied organisations pursuing shared political objectives.
The most significant development from the summit was the warning from the movement’s grassroots leadership.
The OK Movement said its state, local government and ward leaders had indicated that they would not continue operating under any arrangement that removed Ughulu or surrendered the organisation’s independence.
The leadership said it was not issuing a threat but presenting the likely consequence of any forced restructuring.
“We would rather resolve matters of this nature together now than see a capable structure dissolve avoidably,” it stated.
The warning could complicate ongoing efforts to consolidate political structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Despite the dispute, the movement extended an invitation to Ms. Jacky Wayas to return to the organisation.
She was offered her former position as Director for Strategic Implementation and Planning.
The position would be under the leadership of the Director-General.
The summit also approved Prince Suleiman Abubakar as Deputy Director-General (North).
He replaced Amb. Muhammad Auwal Musa, who resigned from the position.
After the summit, the movement’s national leadership visited Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The delegation briefed him on the outcome of the summit and reaffirmed the unity of the organisation.
The leaders also visited Alhaji Buba Galadima, head of the Advisory Council.
The communiqué said Galadima urged the movement to remain united and independent.
He also cautioned against merging the OK Movement with the NDC, regardless of how the proposal was presented.
The movement said it remained committed to mobilising Nigerians for a better Nigeria.
It, however, insisted that its grassroots members’ collective position must be respected.
