FCT Minister Nyesom Wike says he will not support Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma’s reported bid to become Senate President after the 2027 elections.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will not support Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma in his reported ambition to become President of the Nigerian Senate.
Wike made the comments on Monday, September 21, 2026, during an appearance on TVC News’ Journalists’ Hangout, where he discussed the political calculations surrounding the 2027 elections and Uzodinma’s reported plans to move from the Imo State Government House to the Senate.
The FCT minister was particularly critical of Uzodinma’s political history, pointing to the circumstances surrounding his emergence as governor of Imo State in 2020.
“Life or death, I will never support Hope Uzodinma to become the Senate President of Nigeria.”
Wike questions Uzodinma’s political trajectory
Wike recalled that Uzodinma finished fourth in the 2019 Imo State governorship election before eventually becoming governor following a Supreme Court judgment.
Uzodinma had contested the election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was initially declared the winner.
In January 2020, however, the Supreme Court nullified Ihedioha's election and declared Uzodinma the winner. The court's decision was based on its finding that votes due to Uzodinma had not been properly credited during the earlier collation of results.
Wike referenced that history while questioning Uzodinma's current political ambitions.
“Hope Uzodinma became a governor from fourth position,” Wike said during the television programme.
Uzodinma is seeking a Senate seat
Uzodinma is currently serving his second term as governor of Imo State, which is expected to end in January 2028.
However, he has secured the APC ticket to contest the Imo West senatorial seat in the 2027 election, meaning he could return to the National Assembly after completing his tenure as governor.
Uzodinma previously represented Imo West in the Senate from 2011 until 2019, before becoming governor.
The next National Assembly is expected to be inaugurated in June 2027, several months before Uzodinma's second gubernatorial term formally expires.
This timing has contributed to speculation about how the governor could transition from the state executive position to the Senate.
Wike links the ambition to the 2027 political contest
Wike also suggested that Uzodinma's opposition to his political activities was connected to the governor's reported Senate Presidency ambition.
Wike currently leads the Rainbow Coalition, a multi-party political arrangement that he says is aimed at supporting President Bola Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid.
Uzodinma, who chairs the Progressive Governors Forum, has opposed the coalition, with APC governors arguing that political arrangements outside the party could weaken the APC and its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
Wike claimed that Uzodinma's concern was partly related to the possibility that politicians contesting under alternative platforms could eventually enter the Senate and decline to support him for the leadership position.
The minister alleged that Uzodinma was attempting to influence the emergence of lawmakers who could later support his bid for Senate President.
These are Wike's political claims; Uzodinma has not been established as having secured the Senate Presidency, and the leadership of the 2027 Senate will ultimately depend on the composition of the incoming National Assembly and the political negotiations that follow the election.
Wike alleges strategy to influence lawmakers
According to Wike, Uzodinma has been encouraging governors to play a stronger role in determining which candidates emerge for the Senate and House of Representatives.
Wike argued that such a strategy could benefit Uzodinma personally if the lawmakers eventually elected were sympathetic to his Senate leadership ambition.
He said some governors could interpret the strategy as an attempt to strengthen their influence, while, in his view, Uzodinma would have his own political objective.
“Not knowing that he has his own interest and agenda to become Senate President,” Wike said.
The allegation comes amid a wider political contest over control of the National Assembly ahead of 2027.
The Senate Presidency is not directly elected by voters. After senators are elected, members of the Senate choose their presiding officers. Consequently, a politician seeking the position must secure sufficient support among senators in the incoming chamber.
Uzodinma's current political position
Uzodinma occupies an influential position within the APC as chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum.
His second term as Imo governor has also placed him at the centre of discussions involving the party's strategy ahead of the 2027 elections.
His reported move back to the Senate would give him an opportunity to return to federal legislative politics after serving eight years as governor.
Wike, however, has made it clear that he would not support Uzodinma for the Senate's top leadership position.
The disagreement illustrates the competing political interests developing within the broader political environment ahead of 2027.
Reports of an early resignation
Premium Times also reported that multiple sources had previously claimed Uzodinma was considering resigning as governor before the end of his second term to pursue his senatorial ambition.
Those reports suggested that his resignation could facilitate a transition in the Imo State Government House before the end of his constitutional tenure.
However, the office of Imo Deputy Governor Chinyere Ekomaru previously denied reports that she had resigned, describing the claims as false and misleading.
As a result, reports about a possible early resignation should be distinguished from the confirmed fact that Uzodinma has a senatorial ambition.
The 2027 Senate Presidency remains undecided
While Wike has publicly stated his opposition to Uzodinma's reported bid, the ultimate contest for Senate President will only be determined after the 2027 National Assembly elections.
The number of senators elected under each political platform, the distribution of seats across regions and the alliances formed after the election will all influence the leadership contest.
For now, Uzodinma's confirmed political direction is his bid for the Imo West senatorial seat, while Wike has publicly ruled out supporting him for Senate President.
The exchange also highlights the increasingly active political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 elections, with governors, ministers and other political actors positioning themselves for influence in the next National Assembly.
