Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has declared he will never support Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma’s reported ambition to become President of the Senate.
Speaking Monday on TVC’s *Journalists’ Hangout*, Wike accused the Imo governor of attempting to plant loyal lawmakers in the National Assembly to back his future leadership bid once his governorship term expires in January 2028.
“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 like Hope Uzodimma to be Senate President of Nigeria,” Wike stated.
The minister’s comments mark the latest escalation in his ongoing feud with the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), chaired by Uzodimma. The tension stems from Wike’s push for the “Rainbow Coalition”—a cross-party movement backing President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election effort.
While Uzodimma and the APC governors have rejected political arrangements that undermine party loyalty, Wike insists that supporting Tinubu does not require opposition figures to abandon their own candidates in legislative or state elections. Wike further criticized governors who attempt to engineer legislative lineups to secure their personal political futures after leaving office.
Uzodimma, a former senator expected to seek a return to the red chamber, faces potential regulatory hurdles following the Senate’s May amendment to its standing rules. The revised guidelines mandate at least eight years of continuous service for any candidate vying for the posts of Senate President or Deputy Senate President.
