Akpabio Seeks Tinubu's Support, Cautions Uzodimma Over Senate Ambition

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has asked President Bola Tinubu for support in his bid for re-election as Senate leader for the 11th Senate in 2027.

He also urged the president to discourage Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State from trying to replace him as Senate president.

Mr Akpabio made this request during the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council at the State House in Abuja.

“Mr President, you already know that we (the National Assembly) are with you. Please, take the advice of Governor Soludo seriously. He (Soludo) said if the cloth is not torn, why try to amend it? If you try to amend it, you are going to tear the cloth,” Mr Akpabio told Mr Tinubu, clearly asking for political backing in the Senate leadership race.

“If the National Assembly is so much with you, why not encourage them to come back and support you in your second term?”

Mr Akpabio then sent a subtle warning to Mr Uzodimma, advising him to focus on his duties as governor.

“And for my brothers who are governors, I want you to know: you must not abandon your people. I did eight years as a governor. The constitution says you should do eight years. There is no need for you to start eyeing another position that is not available,” said Mr Akpabio, who is a former governor of Akwa Ibom State.

“I have been in this business for over 25 years, and I always win,” he added.

Though Mr Akpabio did not mention Mr Uzodimma by name, his comments were clearly directed at the Imo governor, who is the APC senatorial candidate for Imo West District for the 2027 elections.

Sources say Mr Uzodimma plans to resign as governor before his term ends and switch to the Senate if he wins the upcoming elections.

Mr Uzodimma’s second term as governor will end in January 2028, and the 11th Senate is set to start in June 2027.

Mr Uzodimma, who is the secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, told the crowd that the president’s re-election is tied to the success of other APC candidates, including himself.

“Mr President, you will be on the ballot on 16 January 2027. But if we are honest with ourselves, so will we,” he said.

“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.”

The governor urged party members to settle their differences and unite for victory.

“We must jettison every misgiving we have against each other. We must reconcile our differences. We must rally as one family behind the party and all the candidates,” he said.

He noted that the APC has an advantage going into the elections due to the “acceptance” of the party by Nigerians and Mr Tinubu’s “record” in office.

“Mr President has made our task easier by giving us a record we can defend with pride,” Mr Uzodimma said.

The Senate presidency is decided by the senators, not directly by the president or state governors. The outcome depends on the Senate’s makeup after the elections and how well contenders can secure support from their colleagues. Still, the president’s backing often plays a significant role in who becomes Senate president.

Mr Akpabio’s call for continuity shows he wants to keep the current leadership, with him as Senate president.

Mr Uzodimma’s ambition for the Senate adds another key political player to the race for positions in the next Senate.