Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said he will not support Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma to become President of the Senate.
Wike made the statement on Monday during an appearance on *Journalists’ Hangout*, a programme on TVC.
“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 also alleged that Uzodimma was seeking to influence the emergence of lawmakers who would support his reported ambition to lead the Senate.
The comment comes amid an ongoing disagreement between Wike and the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), which is chaired by Uzodimma.
The PGF, an umbrella body for governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), recently said it would not support political alliances or arrangements capable of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid or the party’s candidates in the 2027 elections.
The position has been linked to the Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party political arrangement associated with Wike and his support for Tinubu’s re-election.
Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said in January that the coalition represented a move beyond conventional party politics towards a broader political movement focused on advancing the interests of states.
Uzodimma, who previously represented Imo West Senatorial District in the Senate from 2011 to 2019, is reported to be considering a return to the red chamber after his tenure as governor.
His possible return to the Senate has also featured in discussions around the race for the Senate presidency in 2027.
In May 2026, the Senate amended its Standing Orders to restrict eligibility for presiding and principal offices to senators who had served at least two consecutive terms. The amendment was widely reported as potentially affecting politicians seeking to return to the chamber, including Uzodimma.
However, the Senate subsequently reversed the relevant amendment. On May 7, lawmakers rescinded the changes after Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele cited concerns that parts of the amendment could create constitutional inconsistencies and unintended tensions.
Before the May amendment, the Senate’s rules allowed ranking senators—those with at least one term in the chamber—to contest presiding offices, subject to the applicable provisions of the Standing Orders.
The latest comments by Wike therefore come against the backdrop of wider political disagreements involving his Rainbow Coalition, the APC governors and the emerging political calculations ahead of the 2027 elections.