By Chike Ofili
The political feud between Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has escalated dramatically, with Wike declaring that he would never support the governor to become President of the Senate after the 2027 elections.
Wike, speaking on TVC News’ Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, accused Uzodimma, Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, of opposing his Rainbow Coalition because of what he described as the Imo governor’s ambition to preside over the Senate.
“Life or death, I will never support a character like Senator Hope Uzodinma to become the Senate President of Nigeria,” Wike declared.
The remarks represent a sharp escalation in the disagreement between the two influential politicians over the Rainbow Coalition, Wike’s cross-party political arrangement which he says is designed to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election while allowing participating politicians to pursue other elective offices on their respective party platforms.
Wike alleged that Uzodimma was seeking to influence the emergence of APC candidates for the National Assembly because lawmakers elected in 2027 would ultimately determine the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives.
According to him, politicians who have lost out in APC nomination contests are increasingly seeking alternative platforms, including the PDP, and some are receiving support from political forces associated with the Rainbow Coalition.
Wike argued that if such candidates eventually won Senate seats, they would be unlikely to support Uzodimma for Senate President.
He accused the Imo governor of creating political problems within the APC and subsequently attempting to blame others.
“You cause internal problems for yourself and you do not have the capacity to solve the problem and all you do is to resort to blackmail,” Wike said.
He also revisited the controversial circumstances surrounding Uzodimma’s emergence as Imo governor following the January 2020 Supreme Court judgment that removed Emeka Ihedioha and declared Uzodimma the winner of the 2019 governorship election.
Wike maintained that Uzodimma’s opposition to the Rainbow Coalition was driven by personal political calculations, alleging that the governor intends to move to the Senate after completing his second term and subsequently seek its presidency. Uzodimma has not publicly confirmed such an ambition in the reports reviewed.
The confrontation comes amid growing tension between Wike and some APC governors over the Rainbow Coalition.
Wike insists the coalition poses no threat to Tinubu because its presidential objective is to support the President’s re-election. But APC governors have objected to arrangements that could strengthen rival-party candidates against APC candidates in governorship and legislative contests.
Wike also rejected suggestions that he was the only member of the former PDP G5 governors to benefit politically from the Tinubu administration.
He cited former Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, whom he said is serving as Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain, and former Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, ambassador to Greece.
He also said Tinubu’s administration had provided N50 billion to support the expansion of the airport in Oyo State under Governor Seyi Makinde.
According to Wike, former Benue Governor Samuel Ortom was the only member of the G5 who had not accepted a government position, saying Ortom preferred to continue supporting Tinubu without an appointment.
The five governors — Wike, Makinde, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi and Ortom — famously broke ranks with the PDP leadership ahead of the 2023 presidential election and refused to support the party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
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