The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has said the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, cannot compete with or rival the political party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dickson said support groups were important to the mobilisation and promotion of political candidates but should operate within their proper role and not attempt to compete with the party sponsoring the candidates.
He spoke on Tuesday when the NDC received former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, at Dickson’s residence in Abuja.
His comments followed a recent disagreement between the NDC and the OK Movement over the group’s unveiling of a 59-member presidential campaign council for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The NDC had earlier dissociated itself from the campaign council, saying it was not authorised by the party’s leadership.
Dickson explained that support groups were a normal part of political activities and had a role to play in grassroots mobilisation and promoting candidates.
He, however, stressed that such groups should complement the party rather than seek supremacy or create structures that could operate as alternatives to the NDC.
According to him, support groups should focus on mobilising voters, propagating the party’s candidates and working with the official campaign structures once established.
Dickson also rejected the idea of a support group independently setting up a presidential campaign council, describing such a move as inconsistent with the traditional role of support organisations.
He said the NDC was not opposed to support groups and would continue to work with them, provided they remained focused on their role of supporting the party and its candidates.
The NDC leader added that the party had structures responsible for coordinating with support groups and would accommodate organisations willing to contribute to its mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 elections.
