Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Hope Uzodimma, has declined to respond to a controversial statement by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, opposing his reported ambition to become President of the Senate after the 2027 general elections.
Wike, on Monday, September 21, made his position known during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, where he declared that he would not support Uzodimma for the nation’s number-three political office.
The FCT minister made the comment while speaking about his ongoing political disagreements with some governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over his proposed Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Wike alleged that some APC governors were attempting to influence the outcome of the party’s primaries by backing preferred candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives.
According to him, the strategy was aimed at producing lawmakers who could subsequently influence the emergence of the next Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“APC, in their ongoing party primaries, the governors, in their own wisdom, believe that they should be able now to put senators or House of Reps members who they will dictate to who will become the next Senate President or the Speaker,” Wike said.
He subsequently linked the alleged political calculations to Uzodimma’s reported interest in returning to the Senate after completing his second term as Imo State governor.
“I will never support a character of Hope Uzodimma to be Senate President of Nigeria. Everybody knows that,” Wike declared.
Uzodimma Refuses to Engage Wike
Uzodimma, however, has chosen not to respond publicly to the FCT minister’s remarks.
Speaking through the Imo State Commissioner for Information, Strategy and Public Orientation, Declan Emelumba, the governor said he would not react to Wike’s statement.
Emelumba said Uzodimma had decided not “to react to the comment as credited to Wike for obvious reasons.”
The development adds another layer to the growing political disagreements surrounding the 2027 elections, with Wike’s comments placing the reported Senate presidency ambition of the Imo governor at the centre of the latest dispute.
Uzodimma has yet to publicly confirm whether he intends to contest for the Senate presidency or return to the National Assembly after leaving office as Imo governor.