Senate President Godswill Akpabio asked President Tinubu for support to lead the 11th Senate while warning Governor Hope Uzodimma against eyeing his post.
The Senate President, Chief Godswill Akpabio, has publicly asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to support his bid to remain the leader of the Upper Legislative Chamber in the upcoming 11th National Assembly, while issuing a direct warning to state governors, especially Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, to stop looking at legislative positions that are not open for grabs.
The high-stakes political clash happened on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, inside the State House Conference Centre in Abuja during the official launch of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.
Speaking in front of state governors, party chieftains, and lawmakers, Chief Godswill Akpabio used an old popular saying to urge the President not to change or disturb the current leadership setup that has kept the executive arm of government and the legislature working smoothly together.
Asking President Bola Tinubu to keep supporting his leadership team in the Senate so that they can continue working together, Godswill Akpabio stated: “Mr President, you already know that we are with you. Please, take the advice of Governor Soludo seriously. He 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.”
He added: “If the National Assembly is so much with you, why not encourage them to come back and support you in your second term?”
Turning his speech toward serving state governors who are secretly planning to leave their state houses before their tenures expire to run for top Senate leadership seats, Akpabio gave a clear warning to his party members to focus on finishing their current terms.
His warning was directed at Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who is running for the Imo West Senatorial seat in the 2027 general elections and is rumored to be planning an early resignation to vie for the Senate Presidency.
Cautioning state governors against abandoning their states to chase legislative posts in Abuja, Godswill Akpabio declared: “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.”
Reminding everyone inside the hall of his long history of winning elections in Nigerian politics, the former Akwa Ibom State governor added: “I have been in this business for over 25 years, and I always win.”
Taking his turn to speak at the event, Governor Hope Uzodimma did not deny his plan to join the Senate race, confirming to the crowd that his name will indeed appear on the ballot paper as a senatorial candidate in the upcoming general elections.
Confirming his senatorial ambition while calling for unity among party members, Governor Hope Uzodimma stated: “Mr President, you will be on the ballot on 16 January 2027. But if we are honest with ourselves, so will we.”
He continued: “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.”
Urging all politicians within the ruling party to stop fighting over leadership seats and work together as one big family to win the elections, Uzodimma added: “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.”
Highlighting that President Tinubu’s achievements in office will make campaign work easier for everyone, the Imo governor noted: “Mr President has made our task easier by giving us a record we can defend with pride.”
The open exchange between Akpabio and Uzodimma shows that intense political battles for top legislative positions in the 11th Senate have already begun inside the ruling party.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
