The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Senator Seriake Dickson, has criticised the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement following the constitution of a 59-member presidential campaign council.
He described the move as “nonsensical” and insisted that support groups must not operate as parallel structures to political parties.
Dickson spoke while receiving former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, into the NDC.
Recall that the internal dispute began after the OK Movement unveiled a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council, naming John Ughulu as Director-General and Saadatu Sani as National Secretary.
The NDC subsequently disowned the council, with National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, stating that it was not authorised by the party and should be disregarded. He said no individual, candidate or support group could constitute or announce a campaign structure in the name of the NDC without approval from the party’s National Working Committee.
Dickson, while addressing the role of support groups, said such organisations were created to mobilise voters and promote candidates, rather than compete with the political party sponsoring those candidates.
“Support groups don’t compete with the political party that is sponsoring candidates. Support groups don’t compete for supremacy, for space. Support groups are what they are, support groups,” he said.
He argued that support groups neither sponsor candidates nor perform the functions of political parties, adding that they should work alongside the party and its authorised campaign structures.
“Support groups don’t play the role of a political party. They don’t sponsor candidates. They provide grassroots support, mobilisation, and support. They don’t convert themselves to become critics of the political party sponsored,” Dickson said.
The former Bayelsa State governor also criticised the decision by the OK Movement to establish what it described as a presidential campaign council.
“None of them will dare say they are setting up a campaign, presidential campaign council. It’s unheard of. Nonsensical,” he said.
Dickson, however, said the NDC recognised the importance of support groups and was prepared to accommodate them within the party’s broader campaign structure.
“The NDC from day one made it clear that we have a huge place, an important place for all support groups. I’ve actually held meetings with Obidient groups,” he said.
He added that the groups could maintain their identities and operate at different levels of activity but should remain within their role of grassroots mobilisation and support for the party’s candidates.
“They have a role for them to play, but they have to confine themselves to their role,” Dickson said.
The NDC leader said the presence of multiple support groups was not inherently problematic, arguing that the groups could complement the party’s structures rather than compete with them.
“Our advice to support groups is that the more they are, the merrier. You have a role for you to play, and your work is huge,” he said.
Dickson urged the groups to concentrate on mobilising voters, propagating the programmes of the NDC and promoting its candidates at the grassroots.
The comments come days after the OK Movement rejected the NDC’s disavowal of its campaign council and insisted that it remained an independent political organisation with its own leadership and internal processes.
The movement’s National Secretary, Sani, said the group recognised the constitutional and statutory role of political parties but argued that this did not make it a subordinate structure of the NDC.
“The OK Movement does not require the personal validation or approval of any individual before exercising its legitimate organisational functions in accordance with established processes,” Sani said.
She said the movement would continue campaigning for NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi, his running mate Rabiu Kwankwaso and other NDC candidates it resolved to support.
Sani also demanded that Cleopas withdraw statements and apologise to the movement.