The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, has vowed not to surrender or merge its organisational structures with the Nigeria Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Director-General of the movement, John Ughulu, said the organisation would retain its national, state, local government and ward structures despite its political alignment with the NDC.

Ughulu was reacting to comments by NDC National Leader, Sen. Seriake Dickson, who said support groups should complement political parties rather than operate as parallel structures.

Dickson had criticised the OK Movement’s decision to establish a presidential campaign council, describing such an arrangement as unusual for a support group.

However, Ughulu said the OK Movement was an independent political organisation comprising members of different political parties who supported NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

He said the movement’s cooperation with the NDC did not amount to organisational subordination.

“The OK Movement remains an independent organisation. Its existence and internal administration are not subject to the internal management of the NDC,” he said.

Ughulu said the movement would continue to mobilise support for Obi and Kwankwaso while maintaining control of its organisational structures.

He added that the movement had the right to establish campaign and mobilisation structures in support of the NDC candidates, saying it was not aware of any provision in the party’s constitution expressly prohibiting such an arrangement.

The dispute followed the NDC’s rejection of a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council unveiled by the OK Movement.

The NDC National Chairman, Sen. Moses Cleopas, said the party had not authorised the movement to constitute or announce a campaign council in its name, adding that only the party’s National Working Committee could approve such structures.

The OK Movement, however, maintained that it did not seek to usurp the authority of the NDC and recognised the party’s constitutional powers over its internal affairs.

Ughulu warned against attempts to take over or dissolve the movement’s structures, saying any such action would be resisted through lawful and democratic means.

He said political cooperation between the two organisations should not be interpreted as a transfer of the movement’s identity or organisational authority to the NDC.