RismadarVoice Reporters
September 19, 2026
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council announced by the OK Movement, a support platform backing the party’s presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The party said the campaign council did not originate from its leadership and should not be recognised as an official structure of the NDC.
The National Chairman of the party, Cleopas Moses, stated this in a statement issued on Saturday in response to the announcement.
The statement, titled “Re: Purported OK Movement PCC Announcement,” said only the party leadership had the authority to constitute and announce a presidential campaign council.
Mr Moses said candidates contesting under the NDC were not independent candidates and remained subject to the authority and disciplinary procedures of the party.
“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,” he said.
He warned members, candidates and support groups against presenting structures or campaign organs as official party bodies without approval from the National Working Committee.
“No member, candidate, or support group should, under any guise, undermine the party or demarket the party,” the chairman said.
“Henceforth, no individual or group is authorised to announce, constitute, or publish any campaign council, structure, or organ in the name of the party without prior approval from the National Working Committee (NWC).”
Party warns support groups
Mr Moses acknowledged the contributions of support groups to the party’s political activities but cautioned them against operating as parallel structures.
He said the NDC would continue to work with groups supporting its candidates but expected them to operate within the boundaries set by the party.
“We welcome even more support groups who identify with our mission to rescue Nigeria,” he said.
“While the party will continue to work collaboratively with all support groups, such groups should not see themselves as alternative party structures or parallel organs of the party.”
The chairman also called for an end to public disagreements involving the party and urged members and support groups with grievances to use internal channels for resolution.
He said the party had referred John Ughulu, identified as the director-general of the announced council, to its disciplinary organ over what it described as repeated disregard for party authority.
The party said the disciplinary action also followed what it described as Mr Ughulu’s conduct during the party’s primary election in Lagos State.
OK Movement council
The dispute followed the announcement by the OK Movement on Thursday of a 59-member campaign council comprising coordinators for the six geopolitical zones, states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The group said the structure was established to mobilise support for the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The movement also announced directors responsible for areas including mobilisation, women affairs, strategy, security and legal affairs.
In a statement issued in Abuja by its National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, the group said the council would take its campaign message to communities across the 36 states and the FCT.
John Ughulu was named Director-General, while Ms Sani was appointed National Secretary.
The movement also appointed six zonal coordinators: Suleiman Abubakar for North Central, Hashimu Dungurawa for North West, Amadu Gwambe for North East, Adebayo Adefolaseye for South West, Christopher Ighodaro for South South and El-Shaddai Ikeh for South East.
Ibrahim Jabir was named coordinator for the Federal Capital Territory.
The group also announced state coordinators across the six geopolitical zones as part of its proposed mobilisation structure.
The NDC leadership, however, maintained that the structure was a creation of the support group and had not been authorised by the party.
