I’ll Never Back Uzodimma for Senate President – Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed not to support Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma for Senate President after the 2027 elections.

Wike made the declaration on Monday during an appearance on TVC News’ Journalists’ Hangout, amid a growing disagreement with Uzodimma and other All Progressives Congress (APC) governors over political arrangements ahead of the elections.

The minister alleged that Uzodimma was using his position as Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) to influence the emergence of senators and members of the House of Representatives.

According to Wike, the alleged move could help the Imo governor build support for a reported ambition to become Senate President.

“He wants to run for Senate President, and what he does is to say to his colleagues, let us be the ones, governors, to produce the senators and members of the House of Representatives,” Wike said.

Wike further alleged that some governors had backed the arrangement without knowing what he described as Uzodimma’s personal political interest.

He said politicians who lost APC tickets had moved to alternative platforms to contest the 2027 elections. If elected, he argued, such politicians might not support Uzodimma’s reported bid to lead the Senate.

The FCT minister then made his position on the matter explicit.

“Life or death, I will never support Hope Uzodimma to become the Senate President of Nigeria. Everybody knows that. Nobody should ask me questions about it, it is not personal,” he said.

Wike also criticised Uzodimma’s political record and referred to the circumstances surrounding his emergence as Imo governor.

“Hope Uzodimma, who I’ve always said and I tell people, maybe, to God be the glory, he became a governor by taking fourth position,” Wike said.

The dispute between the two politicians has intensified over Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party political arrangement he says is designed to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

Wike has maintained that support for Tinubu does not require political parties to abandon their candidates in governorship and legislative elections.

The position has clashed with that of APC governors, who have opposed political arrangements they believe could weaken the party or affect its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections. The PGF, chaired by Uzodimma, has maintained that its political structure should protect the interests of the APC and its candidates.

Wike has accused some APC governors of opposing his coalition because of their political interests, including attempts to influence the emergence of the next Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He also alleged that some politicians denied APC tickets could win elections under other parties and refuse to support candidates favoured by the governors for National Assembly leadership.