KEY POINTS

• Obi and Kwankwaso backers have formed the OK Movement with structures across all 36 states ahead of ADC primaries.
• Atiku’s refusal to step down has deepened tensions within the opposition coalition.
• Labour Party dismissed viral posts suggesting it was inviting Obi and Kwankwaso back.

Supporters of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso have formalized their alliance into a new political pressure group, the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, as the race for the African Democratic Congress presidential ticket grows more crowded and more contentious.

The group announced its emergence in Abuja on Monday, saying it had planted structures across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and appointed state and zonal coordinators to drive grassroots mobilization ahead of the 2027 general elections.

National Publicity Secretary Justin Ijeh described the OK Movement as a coalition drawing from the Obidient Movement, the Kwankwasiyya, the New Nigeria People’s Party and the ADC itself.

“Nigeria stands at a defining crossroads. This is more than a political milestone; it is the birth of a coordinated, nationwide engine for systemic reform and national rebirth,” Ijeh said.

He said the movement was open to all Nigerians and positioned itself against ethnic and religious politics. “We reject the politics of tribalism, regionalism, and religious sentiment that have long been used to keep our people divided while the nation falters,” he added.

Obidients confirm alignment

National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, confirmed that the OK Movement was working in alignment with existing Obi support structures.

“Yes, Ijeh and others are some of our people. There is no division. Both the OK Movement and The Village Boys Movement are working for the same purpose,” he said.

The OK Movement’s emergence echoes the organic, youth-driven structure that propelled the Obidient Movement during the 2023 elections, when Obi’s Labour Party presidential campaign drew unprecedented support in southern Nigeria and several northern urban centers.

Atiku’s shadow over the coalition

The launch comes amid rising tension within the ADC over former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambitions. Atiku recently declared he would not step down for any other aspirant, and dismissed the prospects of other northern contenders, triggering pushback from the Kwankwasiyya bloc, which insisted Kwankwaso’s influence and grassroots support remained strong and organic.

Other figures eyeing the ADC ticket include former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi and former Sokoto governor Aminu Tambuwal. The party, chaired by former Senate President David Mark, has also attracted former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai and former attorney general Abubakar Malami.

Labour Party denies reaching out

Separately, the Labour Party dismissed viral social media posts, bearing its name and logo, that appeared to invite Obi and Kwankwaso to return. One post circulated on X read: “Dear @PeterObi @KwankwasoRM, our doors are open.”

Interim National Chairman Nenadi Usman said the messages did not originate from the party’s national secretariat and were fraudulent.

The OK Movement said state chapter inaugurations would begin in the coming weeks.