ABUJA — A fresh political battle may be brewing within the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections, following Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to support his bid to retain the leadership of the 11th Senate.
Akpabio, while speaking at the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, urged Tinubu to support continuity in the Senate leadership and discourage governors from seeking other political positions before completing their current responsibilities.
Although he did not mention Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma by name, his remarks were widely interpreted as a warning to the governor, who is reportedly interested in succeeding him as Senate president.
Uzodimma is the APC’s senatorial candidate for Imo West District in the 2027 elections.
Addressing Tinubu at the event, Akpabio expressed confidence in the support of the National Assembly for the president’s re-election bid and suggested that the existing political arrangement should be maintained.
“Mr President, you already know that we (the National Assembly) are with you,” Akpabio said.
He also referenced Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s advice on maintaining an existing arrangement rather than attempting unnecessary changes.
Akpabio subsequently appealed to Tinubu to encourage lawmakers to return to the National Assembly and support his second-term bid.
Akpabio’s Warning to Governors Raises Political Questions
In what appeared to be a veiled message to Uzodimma, the Senate president cautioned governors against abandoning their responsibilities to pursue other political offices.
“And for my brothers who are governors, I want you to know: you must not abandon your people. I did eight years as a governor. The constitution says you should do eight years. There is no need for you to start eyeing another position that is not available,” he said.
Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, further declared that his experience in politics had given him confidence in his political prospects.
“I have been in this business for over 25 years, and I always win,” he added.
The remarks have drawn attention to the emerging political calculations surrounding the leadership of the next Senate, particularly as influential APC figures position themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
Uzodimma Declares His Senatorial Ambition
Meanwhile, Uzodimma made his own political intentions clear during the inauguration of the presidential campaign council.
The Imo governor, who serves as secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, stressed that Tinubu’s re-election bid was closely connected to the electoral fortunes of other APC candidates.
“Mr President, you will be on the ballot on 16 January 2027. But if we are honest with ourselves, so will we,” Uzodimma said.
He added, “I will be on the ballot as a senatorial candidate. So, all of us. The challenge of re-electing Mr President is the challenge of re-electing every member of APC.”
Uzodimma also called on APC members to put aside their differences, reconcile their disagreements and work together to secure victory at the polls.
According to him, the party must operate as a united political family if it hopes to retain power.
He further maintained that Tinubu’s record in office had given the APC a strong platform to campaign for another term.
A Race That Could Reshape the 11th Senate
Uzodimma’s senatorial ambition has added another dimension to the political conversation surrounding the next Senate leadership.
According to the report, the governor is said to have perfected plans to resign before the expiration of his tenure to take up his Senate seat if elected.
His second term as Imo governor is scheduled to end in January 2028, while the 11th Senate is expected to be inaugurated in June 2027.
However, the Senate presidency is determined by the elected senators themselves, who must secure the support of their colleagues. Although a president’s endorsement can carry considerable political weight, it does not automatically determine who emerges as Senate president.
Akpabio’s appeal to Tinubu therefore signals his desire to retain his position, while Uzodimma’s senatorial ambition introduces another influential APC figure into the political calculations.
Whether the two political heavyweights will eventually clash over the Senate presidency remains to be seen.
Tinubu Sets Campaign Council in Motion
At the event, Tinubu inaugurated the APC Presidential Campaign Council, which is expected to coordinate campaign activities across states and local government areas.
The president, however, made it clear that he would not participate in every campaign activity, explaining that his responsibilities as head of government would remain his priority.
“The responsibility of this office does not pause,” Tinubu declared.
He added that he would continue to engage Nigerians directly while the campaign council coordinated activities across the country.
The APC Presidential Campaign Council, led by Director-General Abdulaziz Yari, is expected to commence its presidential campaign in Kaduna on October 24.
The inauguration was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen, governors, senior APC figures and representatives of the party’s youth and women’s groups.
As the 2027 elections approach, attention will increasingly focus on the relationship between Akpabio and Uzodimma and whether the unfolding political calculations could influence the battle for the leadership of the 11th Senate.
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