Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has alleged that Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, is opposing him because of Uzodimma’s reported ambition to become President of the Senate after leaving office.
Wike made the allegation while speaking about the political relationship between himself and the Imo State governor.
According to Wike, Uzodimma’s tenure as governor will end in 2028, and the governor is allegedly positioning himself for a move to the National Assembly, where he hopes to emerge as Senate President.
“Hope Uzodimma became a governor by taking fourth position. He has 11 months to leave office,” Wike said, according to the statement.
He further alleged that Uzodimma had been encouraging All Progressives Congress (APC) governors to support the emergence of senators and members of the House of Representatives who would advance his political ambition.
“What he does is to tell APC governors to produce the senators and House of Reps members because of his agenda to become Senate President,” Wike alleged.
The FCT minister also claimed that Uzodimma was concerned about senators who defected from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alleging that such lawmakers could win elections with Wike’s support and subsequently decline to back Uzodimma’s Senate presidency bid.
“Governor Uzodimma is afraid that the senators who lost in APC and moved to the PDP might win and won’t support him to become Senate President because they’re running with Wike’s support,” he said.
Wike, however, declared that he would not support Uzodimma’s reported ambition, saying: “Life or death, I will never support a character of Hope Uzodimma to become the Senate President.”
The allegations come amid reported political disagreements between the two politicians. Wike’s remarks, however, represent his account of the dispute, and Uzodimma’s response to the specific allegations was not included in the statement.
