The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement has taken a swipe at the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) over the composition of its National Campaign Council, accusing the party of late preparations for the 2027 general elections and claiming to have a more developed grassroots mobilisation structure.
The movement’s Director-General, John Ughulu, said the late unveiling of the council raised questions about the party’s level of preparedness, insisting that assembling prominent political figures was not enough to secure victory at the polls.
Ughulu made the remarks in a statement issued to journalists in Abuja on Monday, following the NDC’s announcement of its campaign council on Sunday.
He argued that the movement had invested time and resources in building a nationwide organisational network, while other political actors were only beginning to establish their campaign structures.
The OK Movement chief also predicted that some members of the newly constituted council would eventually seek the movement’s assistance to mobilise voters.
“The funny part of this list is that 90 per cent of the people on it will still come knocking on the doors of the OK Movement to beg for the very structure they have failed to build themselves!” he said.
Questioning the timing of the announcement, Ughulu asked why the NDC had waited until the election period was approaching before putting its presidential campaign machinery in place.
“With less than three months to the general elections, they are only just announcing their Presidential Campaign Council. What exactly have they been doing all this time? Where is the structure? Where is the strategy? Where is the machinery required to prosecute a serious national election?” he queried.
The criticism comes amid a widening disagreement between the NDC and the OK Movement over the latter’s independence and its position within the political mobilisation efforts for the 2027 presidential contest.
The NDC is backing former Anambra State governor Peter Obi as its presidential candidate, with former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate.
The party on Sunday announced its National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, as chairman of the National Campaign Council, while Obi was named co-chairman.
The NDC National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, will serve as vice-chairman, with Kwankwaso occupying the position of co-vice-chairman.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, was named chairman of the National Advisory Council. Other appointees include former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege; former presidential candidate, Pat Utomi; and former National Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change, Buba Galadima.
The party’s National Secretary, Ikenna Enekweizu, was appointed council secretary, while Ibrahim Abdulkarim will serve as Director-General.
However, Ughulu and the OK Movement’s state, local government and ward coordinators were excluded from the appointments, further highlighting the disagreement between both sides over the movement’s role in the campaign.
The controversy followed the movement’s decision to establish its own presidential campaign council, a move Dickson had criticised as “unheard of” and “nonsensical”.
The former Bayelsa State governor had argued that political support groups should strengthen parties’ electoral efforts rather than create competing structures.
At the unveiling of Babachir Lawal in Abuja last month, Dickson said the NDC was willing to work with support groups but expected them to operate within the framework of the party’s organisational structure.
Ughulu has rejected that position, maintaining that the OK Movement is an independent political organisation with its own national leadership and structures extending to the state, local government and ward levels.
He insisted that the movement would not relinquish its structures to the NDC or any other organisation, stressing that its independence was central to its ability to mobilise supporters.
According to him, the effectiveness of campaign organisations should be judged by their reach and capacity to mobilise voters rather than the political status of their members.
“Elections are not won by titles, press releases, political noise, or the number of big names on a campaign council. Elections are won through grassroots mobilisation, effective coordination, strategic planning, committed people, and a well-established structure that reaches every polling unit,” he said.
Ughulu added that the movement had recognised the importance of building a strong grassroots network long before the electioneering season, arguing that political ambition without such a foundation would amount to little more than wishful thinking.
“We did not wait for the election to approach before recognising the importance of grassroots organisation. We understood from the beginning that a presidential ambition without a functional grassroots structure is nothing more than a political wish!” he said.
He also challenged political leaders who had questioned the movement’s independent operations to reconsider their position, warning that they might eventually need its support to reach voters across the country.
“But the question is: Will they respect the structure they are now coming to depend on?” he asked.
The NDC is expected to inaugurate its National Campaign Council and commission its newly acquired national secretariat in Abuja on Monday.
The event will also feature the presentation of Certificates of Return to candidates contesting the presidential, governorship, National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly elections under the party’s platform.
The activities are part of the NDC’s third National Executive Committee meeting, with a dinner scheduled to follow.
Despite the dispute, Ughulu maintained that the OK Movement would not accept a ceremonial role in the Obi-Kwankwaso political project, insisting that its value lay in its grassroots presence and organisational capacity.
“Leadership is not about who makes the loudest noise. Leadership is about who prepares, organises, builds, and delivers when it matters most,” he said.
He concluded with a declaration of confidence in the movement’s preparedness for the elections.
“The OK Movement is ready. The question is: are they? Nigeria will be OK,” he said.
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