Wike Vows Never to Support Uzodimma as Senate President Over Ambition Battle
Abuja, Nigeria – September 21, 2026—Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has publicly declared that he will never support Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma’s reported ambition to become Senate President, framing the governor’s hostility toward him as a calculated move driven by personal political calculations ahead of 2027 and beyond.
Speaking on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout programme on Monday, Wike laid out what he described as the real reason behind Uzodimma’s campaign against him.
He noted that the Imo governor, who he claimed emerged through a fourth-place finish in a previous contest, has roughly 11 months left in office.
With President Bola Tinubu expected to be inaugurated for a potential second term in May 2027, Uzodimma’s tenure is due to end around January 2028.
According to Wike, Uzodimma plans to leave the governorship, contest a senatorial seat, and then push for the Senate Presidency.
To clear the path, the minister alleged, the governor has been urging fellow APC governors to ensure their preferred candidates win Senate and House of Representatives seats.
Wike claimed Uzodimma fears that senators who previously lost under the APC banner, defected to the PDP, and are now running with his support could emerge victorious and refuse to back his bid for the Senate leadership.
“Life or death, I will never support a character of Hope Uzodimma to become the senate president,” Wike stated firmly.
Growing Rift in Tinubu’s Political Family
The remarks mark the sharpest public escalation yet in the simmering tension between Wike and Uzodimma, both of whom have positioned themselves as key allies of President Tinubu’s re-election push.
Uzodimma, as Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, recently led APC governors in rejecting any “Rainbow Coalition” or cross-party arrangement that could dilute support for APC candidates at all levels.
Wike has insisted his mobilization efforts are solely for Tinubu’s return and not for other APC aspirants.
Political observers note that the clash reflects deeper contests over influence in the South-East and South-South, control of legislative tickets, and post-2027 power structures.
An APC chieftain had earlier suggested that Uzodimma’s Senate Presidency ambition and Wike’s preference for retaining the current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, form part of the background friction.
What It Means for 2027 and Beyond
Wike’s blunt rejection of any future support for Uzodimma as Senate President injects fresh uncertainty into APC internal calculations.
With general elections approaching, the open disagreement between two prominent figures in the Tinubu camp raises questions about unity, candidate selection, and the balance of power in the next National Assembly.
As of Monday evening, there was no immediate public response from Governor Uzodimma or the Progressive Governors’ Forum to Wike’s latest comments.
The episode underscores how personal ambitions and strategic positioning continue to shape alliances even among those publicly aligned behind the same presidential ticket.
*This report is based on Wike’s televised remarks, contemporaneous news coverage, and public political developments as of September 21, 2026.*
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