The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, has demanded an apology from the Nigeria Democratic Congress over comments by the party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, concerning its recently unveiled 59-member Presidential Campaign Council.

The movement also maintained that it remained an independent political organisation with its own leadership, structure and internal processes, despite its support for the NDC presidential ticket of Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

The National Secretary of the movement, Saadatu Sani, stated the position in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.

The development followed the NDC’s decision to dissociate itself from the campaign council unveiled by the OK Movement on Thursday. The party said the council did not emanate from the NDC and should be disregarded.

Cleopas also stated that no individual, candidate or support group was authorised to constitute or announce a campaign structure in the name of the party without prior approval from its National Working Committee.

Reacting, Sani described the NDC chairman’s position as unfortunate and said it reflected what she considered a misunderstanding of the movement’s independent character.

She urged Cleopas to familiarise himself with the NDC constitution before making statements concerning the rights and responsibilities of support groups.

“The OK Movement does not engage in such politics. We will not be dragged into a politics of personal insults, intimidation or defamatory exchanges. We will continue to educate rather than abuse. We will continue to defend the principles upon which this movement was established.

“The NDC national chairman is therefore called upon to withdraw the statements considered defamatory and to tender an immediate apology to the OK Movement and to our Director General, Hon. John Ughulu.”

The movement said it recognised the authority of political parties within their constitutional and statutory responsibilities and would campaign for Obi and Kwankwaso, as well as NDC candidates it decides to support across the country.

However, Sani stressed that supporting the party’s candidates did not make the movement a subordinate structure of the NDC.

“We will campaign for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the party. We will campaign for candidates of the NDC Party across the country where the movement has resolved to support them.

“But we do not require the personal validation or approval of any individual before exercising our legitimate organisational functions,” she said.

According to Sani, the movement has developed a nationwide grassroots structure with an internal database representing approximately 2.5 million registered members and coordinators.

She added that the OK Movement was not established solely for the 2027 general elections but had a long-term political vision.

The movement’s secretary also rejected allegations concerning Ughulu’s involvement in the Lagos State primary, saying the group was prepared to state its position on the matter.

Sani reiterated that the movement would not engage in personal attacks or defamatory exchanges, while insisting that it would continue to defend its members when their integrity was questioned.