2027: Wike Draws the Line on Uzodimma’s Senate Presidency Bid — Governor Breaks Silence

ABUJA — A fresh political clash appears to be brewing between Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, following Wike’s categorical rejection of Uzodimma’s reported ambition to become President of the Senate after the 2027 elections.
Wike made his position known during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, where he discussed the growing disagreements surrounding his proposed Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While speaking about the possible emergence of the next leadership of the National Assembly, Wike specifically mentioned Uzodimma and alleged that some APC governors were interested in influencing the emergence of lawmakers who would eventually determine the next Senate President and Speaker.
Wike said he would not support Uzodimma for the position.
“I will never support a character like Hope Uzodimma to be Senate President of Nigeria. Everybody knows that,” he said.
However, Uzodimma has declined to engage the FCT minister in a public exchange.
The governor, through his Commissioner for Information, Strategy and Public Orientation, Declan Emelumba, said Uzodimma would not react to Wike’s comments.
According to Emelumba, the governor did not want “to react to the comment as credited to Wike for obvious reasons.”
The development comes amid widening differences between Wike and some APC governors over his Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Wike has maintained that the coalition is intended to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, while insisting that politicians supporting Tinubu do not necessarily have to support APC candidates in every other election.
He cited the 2023 elections and the activities of the G5 governors as an example of how politicians could support a presidential candidate while backing different candidates in legislative and state elections.
Meanwhile, Uzodimma and other APC governors have publicly declared their commitment to the APC and its candidates ahead of 2027.
Following a recent meeting of APC governors in Abuja, Uzodimma said the forum resolved not to support any alliance capable of undermining Tinubu’s re-election bid, weakening the APC or adversely affecting the party’s candidates.
The governor stated:
“The forum unanimously resolved that its members will not participate in, support, or endorse any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining the re-election of Mr President, weakening the APC or adversely affecting any candidate of the party at all levels.”
Wike has also rejected reports that Tinubu agreed to concede nine states to him or the Rainbow Coalition ahead of the election.
He maintained that his political activities were focused on mobilising support for the Tinubu administration and highlighting what he described as the achievements of the government.
With Wike now publicly opposing Uzodimma’s reported Senate presidency ambition, attention is likely to remain focused on how the disagreement could affect the political calculations surrounding the 2027 elections and the next National Assembly leadership.