‘We don’t need your validation”: OK Movement defies NDC amid rising tensions

Party supremacy vs. grassroots independence: Inside the NDC-OK movement rift

A deepening rift between the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Obi-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement has exposed fractures within Nigeria’s emerging opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election, according to reports by PUNCH and Daily Trust.

The crisis erupted after the OK Movement unveiled a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council on September 17, led by Director-General John Ughulu, to mobilise support for the NDC’s presidential ticket of Peter Obi and running mate Rabiu Kwankwaso. NDC National Chairman Senator Moses Cleopas swiftly disowned the council, saying it “did not emanate from the party” and warning that no individual or group was authorised to constitute a campaign structure without approval from the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

The OK Movement’s National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, hit back on Sunday, demanding an “immediate apology” from Cleopas and describing his comments as reflecting a “misunderstanding” of the movement’s independent character. She said the group — claiming roughly 2.5 million registered members nationwide — would keep campaigning for Obi and Kwankwaso but would not “require the personal validation or approval of any individual” to function.

Analysis: A coalition under strain

The dispute lays bare a structural tension that could undermine the opposition’s 2027 prospects. The NDC insists on party supremacy — that only its central executive can authorise campaign structures — while the OK Movement, built from the merged Obidient and Kwankwasiyya bases, insists on operational independence and resists any subordination of Ughulu, who faces an internal disciplinary probe over alleged past primary disputes in Lagos.

Political analyst Toyin Ajulo noted the rift comes at a delicate moment, since the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance under the NDC banner was seen as a strategic move to unify Nigeria’s opposition vote. If unresolved, the clash risks fragmenting grassroots mobilisation, discouraging volunteer coordinators threatening “mass withdrawal,” and handing the ruling APC a messaging advantage over a divided opposition. Reconciliation talks are reportedly underway, but with disciplinary action against Ughulu still pending, the coalition’s cohesion — and its ability to present a unified front against Tinubu’s re-election bid — remains uncertain.