LEADERSHIP CRISIS ROCKS OK MOVEMENT AS RIVAL FACTIONS TRADE ACCUSATIONS OVER CONTROL. (PHOTO).

Leadership Crisis Rocks OK Movement as Rival Factions Trade Accusations Over Control

Fresh cracks have emerged in the OK Movement, a political platform set up to mobilise support for the joint ticket of Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Kano Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, following a bitter leadership tussle marked by accusations, counter-claims and competing assertions of authority.

The crisis intensified after the movement announced the appointment of former Inter-Party Advisory Council Chairman Peter Ameh as its National Director-General. The statement, signed by Jackie Wayas, who described herself as the National Convener, said the decision followed a meeting of the steering committee. Wayas, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, said Ameh’s appointment was unanimously approved on the strength of his political experience and commitment to the group’s ideals.

The announcement quickly sparked controversy. Several members questioned Wayas’ authority to present herself as national convener. Efforts by journalists to obtain clarification from her on how and when she assumed the role were unsuccessful, as calls and messages went unanswered.

The dispute soon revealed a deeper leadership rift. Immediate past National Publicity Secretary Justin Ijeh acknowledged the existence of disagreements but insisted they should be resolved privately rather than in the media.

“There’s a reason I have not spoken up on this issue. I believe some things should be resolved behind the scenes. The primary target for me is that we must achieve our aim at the polls,” Ijeh said. “It’s okay to fight. If you’re not fighting, you’re probably lying to yourselves. It’s not the worst thing that there are differences, but to let them come out into the public space is a big no-no for me.”

He added that he had stepped aside as spokesman pending resolution of the dispute, noting that competing claims to the position of Director-General had complicated matters. “I have told all parties that I cannot be the spokesperson anymore until they resolve issues. Tell me, when two persons declared themselves DG of an organisation, what do you do?”

John Ughulu, who identifies as the movement’s Director-General, dismissed Ijeh as a sacked official and accused a rival faction of attempting to hijack the organisation. “No, Justin has been sacked long ago. He belongs to the other group. I had relieved all of them of their responsibility for us to move forward,” Ughulu said. “Their ideology is different from what I brought on board.”

Ughulu traced the OK Movement’s origins to efforts to build a broader coalition of Obi and Kwankwaso supporters without dissolving their existing political identities. He said the platform was conceived as a long-term structure that would continue beyond 2027 if necessary. He claimed Obi had urged him not to go public during the latest conflict.

He also defended separating the leadership of the Obidient Movement from that of the OK Movement, saying overlapping structures would create problems, and accused rivals of trying to portray him as working against Obi’s interests. Ughulu said he sacked Ijeh over alleged partisanship and clashed with Wayas over fundraising methods, insisting the movement should rely on small public contributions rather than opaque sources of funds.

Separately, social media reports alleged that Obi had dismissed Obidient Movement Worldwide National Coordinator Dr Yunusa Tanko over financial impropriety. Both Tanko and Obi’s media office firmly denied the claim. Tanko said: “No, it is not true. It is somebody out there just flying a kite… I don’t have a separate account. I’m not even a signatory to the account of the Obidient Movement.”

On relations between the Obidient and OK movements, Tanko insisted there was no crisis: “There is really no tension between us. We are just trying to work together. That’s all.”

Obi’s media aide Idris Zekeri released a statement rejecting the reports as attempts by political adversaries to create artificial rifts. The statement urged supporters to disregard rumours, including the purported sack of Tanko, and reaffirmed the movement’s focus on national progress rather than internal squabbles.

Former New Nigeria People’s Party spokesman Ladipo Johnson, speaking on Arise Television, described the OK Movement dispute as a distraction that should not derail preparations for 2027. He said Obi had been briefed and was unhappy about the situation, urging members to prioritise the broader goal of supporting their preferred candidate.

The internal wrangling comes as opposition groups continue consultations aimed at forging a united front against the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 presidential election. While leaders of both the Obidient Movement and the OK Movement maintain that their differences are internal and resolvable, the public exchange of accusations and rival claims to leadership has raised questions about cohesion within one of the emerging platforms expected to play a significant role in opposition mobilisation.