Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will not support Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma for the position of Senate President.
Wike made the statement on Monday during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, amid a growing political disagreement between the two politicians over arrangements ahead of the 2027 elections.
The FCT minister accused Uzodimma, who chairs the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), of using his influence among governors to influence the emergence of senators and House of Representatives members in furtherance of a reported Senate presidency ambition.
According to Wike, Uzodimma’s second term as governor is expected to end in January 2028, after which he could seek election to the Senate.
“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 alleged that some governors supporting the arrangement may not be aware of what he described as Uzodimma’s personal political agenda.
He also claimed that some politicians denied tickets by the All Progressives Congress (APC) had moved to other platforms to contest the 2027 elections, arguing that successful candidates may not back Uzodimma’s reported ambition.
“Life or death, I will never support Hope Uzodimma to become the Senate President of Nigeria,” Wike said, stressing that his position was not personal.
The minister also criticised Uzodimma’s political record, referring to the circumstances surrounding his emergence as Imo governor.
The disagreement comes amid a broader political dispute over Wike’s proposed Rainbow Coalition, which he has described as an arrangement to mobilise support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu while allowing political parties to field candidates in governorship and legislative elections.
The APC Governors Forum, led by Uzodimma, has rejected political arrangements it considers capable of weakening the party or affecting its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
