OK Movement affirms Ughulu as leader, blocks external mergers ahead of 2027

The OK Movement, a grassroots coalition backing Peter Obi and Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso's presidential ambitions under the Nigeria Democratic Congress, has firmly rejected proposals to remove founder John Ughulu from his position as Director-General. The group also dismissed any possibility of merging with external political organisations.

These decisions were announced through a communiqué following the movement's National Leadership Summit held in Abuja on August 26, 2026. According to the movement's leadership, Ughulu remains central to the organisation's structure and identity.

The group emphasised that its grassroots framework was constructed around his direction and that dismantling this leadership arrangement would compromise the movement's cohesion and operational capacity. The communiqué, signed by Convener Ladipo Johnson and other national officers, underscored the movement's commitment to independence.

The OK Movement draws members from two distinct political factions: supporters of Obi from the Obidient Movement and adherents of Kwankwaso from the Kwankwasiyya movement. This merger created a unified platform to mobilise voters across both constituencies ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The movement's refusal to absorb into larger entities reflects a strategy to preserve its distinct identity and voter mobilisation networks. The rejection of any further consolidation signals that the movement intends to function as an independent mobilisation structure rather than dissolving into existing party machinery.

Leadership reaffirmed that the organisation's grassroots networks, built over time, depend on maintaining their current command structure and autonomy as they prepare for the 2027 electoral cycle.