The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, has criticised the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) over the composition of its National Campaign Council, questioning the party’s preparedness for the forthcoming general elections.
The Director-General of the movement, John Ughulu, said the NDC had taken too long to establish its campaign machinery, arguing that political ambition alone could not guarantee electoral success without effective grassroots mobilisation and coordination.
Ughulu made the remarks in a statement on Monday, a day after the NDC unveiled its National Campaign Council ahead of its inauguration in Abuja.
He questioned why the party was only announcing its campaign structure at this stage, asking where its grassroots structure, strategy and mobilisation machinery were.
“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?” Ughulu asked.
He claimed that the OK Movement had already established a nationwide grassroots structure and was better positioned to mobilise supporters for the Peter Obi-Rabiu Kwankwaso ticket.
Ughulu further predicted that some members of the newly constituted NDC campaign council could eventually turn to the movement for grassroots mobilisation.
“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.
The criticism comes against the backdrop of an existing disagreement between the NDC and the OK Movement over the role and independence of the support organisation.
The NDC had previously rejected a separate 59-member Presidential Campaign Council announced by the OK Movement, insisting that only the party leadership could constitute and announce its official campaign structure.
NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi also previously said support groups, including the OK Movement, should operate in support of the party rather than perform the functions of the political organisation.
In its latest criticism, however, the OK Movement maintained that it was an independent political organisation with its own structures and would not surrender its grassroots network to the NDC.
Ughulu said elections were not won by prominent names on campaign councils but through effective mobilisation, strategic planning, coordination and structures reaching voters at the grassroots.
“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.
The NDC has named its National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, as chairman of its National Campaign Council, with Obi as co-chairman. National Chairman Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe was named vice-chairman, while Kwankwaso will serve as co-vice-chairman.
Other members include former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, Senator Ovie Omo-Omo-Agege, former presidential candidate Pat Utomi and former National Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change, Buba Galadima.
Ughulu insisted that the OK Movement would remain focused on its grassroots mobilisation strategy, adding that the coming election would test the strength of political structures across the country.
