Peter Obi has rejected the creation of a Presidential Campaign Council by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, insisting that support groups must not assume the functions of a political party.
Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), made the remarks on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on Thursday while addressing a disagreement between the party and the OK Movement over a 59-member council unveiled by the group.
“First, NDC is the political party we all belong to. And I agree entirely with the position of the leader (Seriake Dickson). OK Movement, Obidient group, Kwankwasiyya, and other supporting groups are supporting groups. They must play their role as supporting groups, supporting the party,” Obi said.
“They should not play the role of the party. We’ve found a situation where one of the supporting groups is using the nomenclature, that is forming Presidential Campaign Council, it shouldn’t be. No,” he added.
Asked whether the council had been set up with his knowledge or approval, Obi replied: “Not at all. And I say it here, it is wrong. You are supporting—OK Movement is Obi and Kwankwaso. So whatever you do must have express approval of both of us.”
The OK Movement had announced the council on September 17, listing zonal and state coordinators as well as directors for mobilisation, strategy and other portfolios. The NDC later dissociated itself from the list, stating that only the party leadership could constitute its official campaign structures.
NDC National Leader Seriake Dickson had earlier described the move by a support group as unusual, saying such organisations should focus on grassroots mobilisation rather than establishing parallel campaign machinery.
The OK Movement has maintained that it is an independent political organisation and has resisted calls to subordinate its structures to the NDC.
