*Grassroots leaders warn structure may collapse if founder is removed
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The national leadership of the OK Movement has rejected any proposal to merge the organisation with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), insisting that it will retain its independence and continue to operate as a grassroots support movement.
The decision was reached at the organisation’s National Leadership Summit held in Abuja where leaders from the six geopolitical zones, 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory also unanimously endorsed its founder, Mr. John Ughulu, as Director-General.
The development came amid moves by opposition forces to strengthen their structures ahead of the 2027 general elections through alliances, mergers and the consolidation of grassroots support groups.
In a communiqué issued yesterday at the end of the summit, the movement said the decision to retain Ughulu was based on the practical realities of its grassroots organisation, stressing that its structures had been built around the credibility and leadership of its founder.
The communiqué, signed by the Convener, Barrister Oladipo Johnson; Deputy Director-General (North), Prince Suleiman Abubakar; Deputy Director-General (South), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Lanihun; and National Secretary, Saadatu Mohammed Sani, said the National Congress reached the resolutions unanimously and without dissent.
According to the movement, “the Movement was built ward by ward, largely on the personal credibility of its founder with the volunteers who make up its ranks.”
It added that the loyalty of its members was “not to a title, but to the man who recruited, trained and stood with them,” arguing that the confidence of grassroots mobilisers could not be transferred in the same manner as social media handles or organisational titles.
The movement consequently declined any proposal for Ughulu’s replacement as Director-General.
On the proposed merger with an external political organisation, the OK Movement declared that it would remain an independent organisation and would neither be merged into nor absorbed by another political body.
It argued that externally imposed consolidation could disrupt programmes already underway, weaken the identity recognised by its supporters and undermine the momentum built by its grassroots structures.
The movement, however, stressed that its decision to remain independent should not be interpreted as a rejection of cooperation with political allies.
“Independence does not mean isolation: we remain ready to coordinate closely with allied groups in pursuit of shared goals,” it stated.
The organisation also disclosed that its state, local government and ward leaders had warned that they might withdraw from its activities if Ughulu was removed as Director-General or its independence was compromised.
The leadership described the warning as a “candid assessment” of the mood within its grassroots structures rather than an attempt to exert pressure on those negotiating the future of the movement.
It said: “Should the Director-General be removed, or the Movement’s independence set aside, they have indicated that they would not continue to operate under the resulting arrangement.”
The movement said it considered it necessary to make the position public because Nigerians deserved an accurate assessment of what grassroots structures would remain available under any new arrangement.
In a related development, the summit extended an invitation to Ms. Jacky Wayas to return to the movement as Director for Strategic Implementation and Planning, her former office, under the leadership of the Director-General.
The organisation said Wayas’ contributions remained valued and expressed willingness to welcome her back as part of efforts to promote unity.
The summit also approved the appointment of Prince Suleiman Abubakar as Deputy Director-General (North), following the resignation of Ambassador Muhammad Auwal Musa.
The movement thanked Auwal Musa for his service and wished him well in his future endeavours.
At the end of the summit, the national leadership visited former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, at his residence to brief him on the outcome of the deliberations and the leadership’s position on the unity of the movement.
The delegation also visited the head of the movement’s Advisory Council, Alhaji Buba Galadima, who, according to the communiqué, reaffirmed the importance of unity within the organisation.
Galadima reportedly encouraged the movement to remain an independent support group and cautioned against any proposal to merge it with the NDC, irrespective of how such a proposal might be presented in the name of efficiency.
The OK Movement said it remained committed to its stated objective of mobilising ordinary Nigerians behind its vision of a better Nigeria.
It appealed to stakeholders to respect what it described as the collective will of its grassroots members, freely expressed at the national summit.
The leadership maintained that its position was not intended to diminish its commitment to broader opposition cooperation, but to ensure that any collaboration preserved the organisational identity and grassroots structure painstakingly built over time.
The communiqué was endorsed by the national officers, while the signatures of the six geopolitical zonal coordinators and 37 state coordinators were said to be contained in an attached annexure.