Wike denies backing Okorocha against Uzodimma in court

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has denied any involvement in the Federal High Court judgment recognising former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha as the All Progressives Congress candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 elections.

Wike described allegations linking him to the ruling as mischievous, insisting that he neither instituted the suit nor participated in the legal proceedings.

The minister made the clarification during a live media chat on Thursday, responding to questions about the judgment delivered on October 29, which disqualified incumbent Governor Hope Uzodimma from the party’s senatorial ticket.

“First of all, anybody calling my name is being mischievous. I didn’t go to court. I’m not in APC. I don’t know what the issue is,” Wike said.

The speculation linking the FCT minister to the judgment was reportedly fuelled by his political disagreement with Uzodimma over the proposed Rainbow Coalition, an arrangement aimed at mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

Wike also dismissed suggestions that a video showing him dancing with Okorocha at an event was evidence of his involvement in the court case.

He explained that the footage was recorded when he hosted Okorocha during his tenure as governor.

“Now they showed the video where Rochas and I danced when I hosted him when he was governor. So that was that dance,” he said.

The minister also criticised a reported warning by Uzodimma against supporters of the Rainbow Coalition in Imo State, describing the alleged threat to seize vehicles belonging to those promoting the alliance as “very, very uncivilised.”

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The controversy followed a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognise Okorocha as the APC candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu ruled that Okorocha, rather than Uzodimma, won the party’s senatorial primary conducted on May 18, 2026, ordering INEC to replace the governor’s name with that of the former governor.

The judgment arose from a suit filed by Okorocha challenging INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma as the winner of the primary.

The court held that the evidence presented established that Okorocha secured the majority of lawful votes cast.

The ruling has, however, been disputed by the Imo State chapter of the APC, while Uzodimma has indicated plans to appeal.

Wike’s political differences with Uzodimma have also centred on the Rainbow Coalition, which seeks to bring politicians across party lines together to support Tinubu’s re-election without necessarily requiring them to abandon their political parties.

The FCT minister has maintained that PDP members can support Tinubu in the presidential election while backing their party’s candidates in governorship and legislative contests.

During an interview with Channels Television’s Politics Today on October 29, Okorocha praised Wike’s Rainbow Coalition proposal and announced plans to establish a similar alliance in Imo State.

The former governor said he intended to bring members of the Peoples Democratic Party and other political groups together to support Tinubu in 2027.

Speaking on Thursday, Wike defended the arrangement, arguing that political allies could support the same presidential candidate while maintaining different positions in other electoral contests.

“In any case, we are supporting Mr President, for Christ’s sake. Your business is to make sure, first things is, Mr President wins the election. As it is today, anybody who talks about the priority… should be that Mr President wins the election. That’s my priority,” he said.