Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will not support Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma for the position of Senate President after the 2027 general elections.
Wike made the declaration on Monday during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, monitored by The News Chronicle amid his growing disagreement with Uzodimma and other All Progressives Congress governors over the proposed Rainbow Coalition.
The FCT minister accused some governors of attempting to influence the emergence of lawmakers who would eventually support their preferred candidates for leadership positions in the National Assembly.
According to Wike, the governors were seeking to produce senators and members of the House of Representatives who would be loyal to them and could determine who emerges as Senate President and Speaker.
He specifically mentioned Uzodimma, who chairs the Progressive Governors’ Forum, and linked the governor’s political calculations to the Senate presidency after leaving office.
“This man’s office will expire in January 2028. Now, he wants to leave his office to run for senate. I will never support a character of Hope Uzodimma to be Senate President of Nigeria,” Wike said.
Wike’s comments came against the backdrop of the disagreement between him and several APC governors over his Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party political arrangement that he says is primarily aimed at supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
The former Rivers State governor has maintained that supporting Tinubu for president does not require politicians to abandon their parties or support the same candidates in legislative and state elections.
He also rejected claims that the coalition would confuse voters, arguing that politicians could support Tinubu for president while backing candidates of their choice for other positions.
Wike said he had been openly encouraging his supporters, despite remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, to vote for Tinubu in the presidential election.
He further criticised governors opposing the coalition, arguing that politicians who lose out in their parties’ nomination processes should be free to seek alternative platforms to contest elections.
