Strong indications of an internal crisis have emerged within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) after the party’s national leadership disowned a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council announced by the OK Movement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The OK Movement, a political support platform backing the joint presidential ticket of NDC candidate Peter Obi and his running mate, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, had announced the campaign council comprising zonal and state coordinators as well as directors overseeing key areas of its campaign structure.
However, the NDC National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses, on Saturday rejected the structure, declaring that it was not authorised by the party and should be disregarded by the public and the media.
In a statement titled “Re: Purported OK Movement PCC Announcement,” Moses warned party members, candidates and support groups against creating or announcing structures in the name of the party without approval from its National Working Committee (NWC).
The chairman stressed that NDC candidates were not independent candidates, but products of the party who remained subject to its authority and disciplinary structures.
He said, “Only the party’s leadership can constitute and announce a Presidential Campaign Council.”
Moses further warned that no member, candidate or support group should engage in actions capable of undermining or “demarketing” the party.
He said the NDC was dissociating itself completely from the Presidential Campaign Council announced by the OK Movement, insisting that the structure did not emanate from the party.
The statement said:
“The leadership of our party, the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has noted with concern a publication credited to one John Ugulu announcing a Presidential Campaign Council under the guise of ‘OK Movement.’
“For the avoidance of doubt, the party wishes to state categorically as follows:
“The party hereby dissociates itself in totality from the said OK Movement PCC announcement. It did not emanate from the party and should be disregarded by the public and the media.”
NDC Warns Against Parallel Structures
The party leadership said support groups remained important to its political project but warned that such groups must not present themselves as alternative or parallel structures of the NDC.
According to Moses, the party would continue to collaborate with support groups while expecting them to channel grievances and disagreements through established internal mechanisms rather than publicly attacking the party.
The chairman also announced disciplinary action against Mr John Ugulu, citing what the party described as his “excesses” during the NDC primary election in Lagos State and his alleged repeated disregard for party authority.
Ugulu was referred to the appropriate disciplinary organ of the party for necessary action in accordance with the party’s constitution.
OK Movement Had Announced 59-Member PCC
The development followed Thursday’s announcement by the OK Movement of its 59-member Presidential Campaign Council, which the group said was designed to coordinate mobilisation for the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The movement also announced directors responsible for mobilisation, women affairs, strategy, security, legal affairs and other areas.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the movement’s National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, the council was presented as a nationwide campaign structure designed to take the movement’s message to Nigerians across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The structure named John Ughulu as Director-General, with Sani serving as National Secretary.
Six zonal coordinators were also announced: Suleiman Abubakar for North Central, Hashimu Dungurawa for North West, Amadu Gwambe for North East, Dr Adebayo Adefolaseye for South West, Christopher Ighodaro for South South and El-Shaddai Ikeh for South East.
Ibrahim Jabir was named FCT Coordinator, while coordinators were also announced for several states across the six geopolitical zones.
The latest development has now exposed a clear disagreement between the NDC’s national leadership and the OK Movement over who has the authority to create and announce campaign structures ahead of the 2027 election.
While the party said it remained focused on its “issue-based campaign” and its objective of delivering what it described as a “New Nigeria that is Possible,” the dispute has raised questions about the coordination of the wider Obi-Kwankwaso political campaign structure.
