I’LL NEVER SUPPORT UZODIMMA TO BE SENATE PRESIDENT, SAYS WIKE
Read Time:2 Minute, 25 Second
By ‘Sefiu Ajape
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said he will not support Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma, to become President of the Senate after the 2027 elections.
Wike made the declaration on Monday during his appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, amid the growing disagreement between him and APC governors over his proposed Rainbow Coalition.
“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,” he said.
Wike alleged that Uzodimma was seeking to influence the emergence of lawmakers who would support his reported ambition to become Senate President.
The minister’s comments came days after the Progressive Governors Forum rejected political arrangements that could undermine President Bola Tinubu’s re-election or affect APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
The governors’ position was widely linked to Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party political platform associated with the FCT minister and aimed at mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election.
Wike has maintained that the coalition is not designed to weaken the APC, arguing that politicians can support Tinubu for president while backing candidates of their choice in governorship and legislative contests.
BACK STORY
Uzodimma, who is seeking a return to the Senate after leaving office as governor, has been linked to the reported ambition to become Senate President.
The issue has also become entangled with changes to the Senate’s rules on eligibility for presiding and principal offices.
In May, the Senate amended its Standing Rules to restrict eligibility for Senate President and Deputy Senate President to senators who had served at least two consecutive terms. The amendment came amid speculation that former senators, including Uzodimma, were considering a return to the chamber and possible bids for the Senate presidency.
The amendment effectively narrowed the field of senators eligible for the top leadership positions, with reports at the time noting that it could exclude politicians returning to the chamber in 2027 who did not meet the new service requirement.
The Senate later re-amended another provision of its Standing Rules concerning the sequence for electing presiding officers and taking the oath of office, restoring the previous procedure after concerns were raised about possible constitutional inconsistencies.
The political dispute surrounding Wike and the APC governors has intensified in recent days, with Wike accusing some governors of opposing the Rainbow Coalition because of their interests in the emergence of the next National Assembly leadership.
The APC governors, however, have publicly maintained that their position is intended to protect the party, its candidates and Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Wike’s latest comments therefore add another layer to the growing disagreement over the coalition, the 2027 elections and the political calculations surrounding the next National Assembly leadership.
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