The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has said the decision on who becomes the next Senate President after the 2027 general elections will be left to senators elected into the 11th National Assembly.
Yilwatda declined to openly endorse incumbent Senate President Godswill Akpabio for another term, insisting that the ruling party would not determine who occupies the position.
The APC chairman made this known during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday night, where he addressed questions about the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections and the political future of some prominent party members.
During the interview, Yilwatda was asked whether Akpabio would retain his position as Senate President if he secured re-election to the Senate in 2027.
Responding, the APC chairman maintained that the decision would be determined by members of the upper legislative chamber after the elections.
“You know that the Senate will determine it. Let’s wait for the election first. I don’t have anybody in mind. The Senate will determine who they want to make Senate President. We, as a party, will only just bring the Majority Leader.”
Akpabio, who currently represents Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District, is seeking another term in the Senate.
His possible return as Senate President has, however, raised concern following reports that Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma may also be interested in occupying the position after completing his tenure.
The party chairman also explained that the APC’s responsibility would include presenting its candidate for the position of Senate Majority Leader, while senators would determine who presides over the chamber.
The APC chairman also spoke about the political disagreement between former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and incumbent Governor Hope Uzodimma.
Asked about the dispute, Yilwatda said the party would allow the judiciary to resolve the matter, although it was making efforts to manage the situation internally.
“We will allow the court to settle it, but behind the scenes, we are doing management of the case.”
He further spoke about the party’s intelligence-gathering activities and its monitoring of political developments involving opposition parties.
“The report I have of all the political parties, you don’t have one tenth of it. I have my intelligence around everybody. I filter data from all.
“There is no political party that does not have a research unit, and the research unit goes as low as scavenging for data.”
In a related development, Senate President Godswill Akpabio had publicly appealed to President Bola Tinubu to support his return as Senate President in the 11th National Assembly, while making remarks that appeared to caution Uzodimma against pursuing the same position.
POLITICS NIGERIA recalls that Akpabio made the comments on Wednesday, October 14, during the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general elections at the State House in Abuja.
The event brought together prominent APC leaders, governors and other political stakeholders as the ruling party commenced activities towards Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
During the gathering, Akpabio openly sought Tinubu’s support for his continued leadership of the Senate after the next general elections.
The Senate President also referred to comments made by Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo about maintaining the existing political arrangement.
“Please, take the advice of Governor Soludo seriously. He said if the cloth is not torn, why try to amend it?” Akpabio told Tinubu.
He subsequently appealed to the President to discourage governors from pursuing other political offices before completing their current mandates.
“I did eight years as a governor, and the constitution says you should do eight years. There’s no need for you to start eyeing another position that is not available,” Akpabio said.
Although he did not mention Uzodimma by name, the remarks attracted attention because the Imo governor had also announced his intention to contest for a senatorial seat in the 2027 elections.
Uzodimma, who previously represented Imo West in the Senate between 2011 and 2019, is expected to return to the National Assembly after completing his tenure as governor if he wins the senatorial election.
At the same event, the Imo governor made it clear that he would be contesting in the forthcoming elections.
“Mr President, you will be on the ballot on 16 January 2027. But if we are honest with ourselves, so will we,” Uzodimma said.
He further declared, “I will be on the ballot as a senatorial candidate. So, all of us. The challenge of re-electing Mr President is the challenge of re-electing every member of APC.”
On October 15, the issue became more prominent when senators publicly expressed support for Akpabio’s return as Senate President.
During plenary, several lawmakers indicated their willingness to retain the current Senate leadership, including Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and other principal officers, in the next assembly.
Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno also expressed confidence that many serving lawmakers would return to the Senate after the 2027 elections and support the continuation of the existing leadership arrangement.
“By the grace of God, majority of us are going to make it back to the Senate, and this seat is hereby declared: there is no vacancy. No vacancy at all, including the seat of DSP, and all other principal officers. I hereby declare there is no vacancy, including principal officers,” Monguno said.
The declaration was seen as an indication of the support Akpabio enjoys among some members of the current Senate.