Peter Obi And Kwankwaso Campaign Teams Face Leadership Crisis

A leadership dispute has broken out within the OK Movement, the political group created to rally support for a possible Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso presidential ticket.

It was gathered that rival members are making conflicting claims over who controls the organisation.

The crisis became public after Jackie Wayas, who identified herself as the National Convener of the movement, announced the appointment of former Inter-Party Advisory Council Chairman Peter Ameh as the group’s new National Director-General.

She said the decision was approved by the movement’s steering committee because of Ameh’s experience and dedication.

However, the announcement immediately sparked controversy, as several members questioned Wayas’ authority to speak on behalf of the movement or claim the position of National Convener.

Speaking with PUNCH, former National Publicity Secretary Justin Ijeh admitted that disagreements exist within the organisation but argued that such issues should be settled privately rather than in the media.

He said, “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. I spoke to all the parties concerned about my concerns.

“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.

“My principle on it is that we should not be discussing this thing in the public domain. People will always speculate and talk.

“As I said, these are issues that we need to go behind the scenes and resolve. We cannot be fighting a civil war when we have external aggression to deal with.

“The fact that this matter has come out makes it look larger than what it is because people are now talking about it.

“The truth is that it’s an internal dispute over how things are being done. People have different opinions, and then it goes into the mix. It’s not so much about secrecy.

“It’s about not allowing it to be detrimental to the larger cause. For me, the mission is to win elections.”

According to him, internal differences are common in political groups and should not distract members from their main objective of winning future elections.

He said he had stepped aside as the movement’s spokesman until the leadership dispute is resolved, especially because more than one person now claims to be the Director-General.

“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?

“I cannot even deny the fact that I know the Jackie Wayas you are talking about. She is also one of us,” he noted.

However, the movement’s Director-General, John Ughulu, rejected Ijeh’s comments, insisting that the former spokesman had already been removed from his position and no longer represents the organisation.

Ughulu accused a rival faction of trying to take over the movement and said he dismissed some officials because they no longer shared his vision for the group.

He said, “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.

“Their ideology is different from what I brought on board. Look, I want everybody to focus beyond the 2027 election, if by God’s grace, Peter Obi wins.”

He explained that the OK Movement was created as a broad political platform to unite supporters of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso while allowing them to keep their individual political identities.

According to him, the movement was designed to continue beyond the 2027 election.

“There was an initial agreement between the two candidates, Obi and Kwankwaso, that this OK Movement would not be relinquished. It would still have to campaign for him in 2031 if he decides to come out for the presidential position. I was a signatory to that.

“So when this latest internal conflict came up, Obi pleaded with me. He said, John, please, I beg you. Do not go to press. Do not say anything,” he said.

Ughulu also said he removed Justin Ijeh because he believed the former spokesman had become too closely aligned with the Obidient Movement rather than remaining neutral within the OK Movement.

He also revealed that his relationship with Jackie Wayas broke down over disagreements on how the organisation should be managed.

“The mistake I made was that when they were appointing leaders for me, I was in America, trying to establish the OK Movement in London. Then Justin was brought in as our publicity secretary. I knew he worked for the Obidient Movement.

“Obi himself had given the warning not to mix the two,” he said.

Meanwhile, rumours circulated on social media claiming that Peter Obi had removed the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, over alleged financial misconduct.

Tanko strongly denied the claim, describing it as false. He said he is not even a signatory to the movement’s bank account and therefore could not have been involved in any financial wrongdoing.

He also dismissed reports of tension between the Obidient Movement and the OK Movement, insisting that both groups are working together.

He said, “No, it is not true. It is somebody out there just flying a kite. In fact, we are having a programme in the office tomorrow. I am using the opportunity to invite you to attend.

“Look, I don’t have a separate account. I’m not even a signatory to the account of the Obidient Movement. So, why should I even have a money-related matter?”

When asked to also clarify the tension between the Obidients and the OK Movement, Tanko dismissed it, stressing that there is no crisis or internal conflict with the camp of their principal.

“There is really no tension between us. We are just trying to work together. That’s all.

“We are just trying to make sure that we work together as a team,” he stated.

Peter Obi’s media office also rejected the reports, accusing political opponents of spreading false information to create division among his supporters.

“The Peter Obi Media Office acknowledges recent, coordinated efforts by political adversaries and disruptive individuals to create division, misrepresent our leader’s objectives, and foster artificial rifts within our movement dedicated to improving Nigeria.

“They dubiously try to ascribe their imagined words to our principal, aiming to create division in his fold. We feel it is imperative to directly and unequivocally address these manoeuvres.

“Let us be clear: our endeavour is, and always has been, driven by a commitment to national progress, not personal ambition, ethnic appeals, or petty partisan squabbles.”

“We implore our devoted supporters, including the Obidients and Kwankwasiyya movements, and all Nigerians of good conscience, to disregard rumours, fabricated stories, and deliberate provocations, including the purported sack of the Obidient Movement National Coordinator, Dr Yunusa Tanko,” it stated.

Former NNPP spokesman Ladipo Johnson also acknowledged that disagreements exist within the OK Movement but described them as a temporary distraction rather than a serious threat to the group’s future.

“Yes, we have- may I call it a distraction at the moment? It is not such, in my own humble opinion, that would lead you to take unilateral actions that could scuttle or bring bad blood within the support base of the person you purportedly want to become the president of the country,” he said.

Johnson said Peter Obi had been informed about the situation and was unhappy with the internal crisis.

“I saw the presidential candidate last night (Thursday) along with the DG. He’s not happy about the whole situation,” he said.

Although leaders of both the Obidient Movement and the OK Movement insist the dispute can be resolved, the public exchange of accusations has raised fresh concerns about unity within one of the opposition groups expected to play a major role in the next election.

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