Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has dissociated itself from the 59-member Presidential Campaign Council unveiled by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Gatekeepers News reports that the party said the campaign council did not originate from its leadership and directed members of the public and the media to disregard the announcement.
The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, also known as the OK Movement, had on Thursday unveiled the 59-member council comprising zonal and state coordinators as well as directors responsible for mobilisation, women affairs, strategy, security, legal affairs and other areas.
The movement named its Director-General, John Ughulu, as the Director-General of the campaign council, while its National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, was also listed among the campaign leadership. The structure covers the six geopolitical zones, the Federal Capital Territory and the 36 states.
However, in a statement on Saturday, NDC National Chairman, Cleopas Moses, said the party was not involved in constituting the council.
“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,” Moses said.
He said candidates contesting under the NDC platform were subject to the authority and discipline of the party, adding that the power to constitute and announce a presidential campaign council rested with the party leadership.
“All candidates of the party must appreciate that they are not running as independent candidates,” he said.
“They are products of the party and remain subject to the authority and discipline of the party. Therefore, only the party’s leadership can constitute and announce a Presidential Campaign Council.”
Moses further directed members, candidates and support groups not to create or announce structures in the name of the party without approval from its National Working Committee.
“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),” he said.
The NDC chairman, however, acknowledged the role of support groups and said the party appreciated their contributions. He urged such groups to work with the party without presenting themselves as alternative structures or parallel organs.
The development followed the OK Movement’s unveiling of its campaign council to mobilise support for Peter Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, his running mate, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The movement had said the council would take its message and programme to Nigerians across states, local government areas, wards and communities. Its national secretary, Sani, described the assignment as a responsibility to mobilise Nigerians around what the group called “the possibility of a better, more prosperous, united and functional Nigeria.”
The party’s position means that the 59-member structure announced by the OK Movement is not recognised as the NDC’s official Presidential Campaign Council. The party said any future campaign structure bearing its name must receive approval from its National Working Committee.
