Akpabio vs Uzodimma: Inside the power struggle for Nigeria’s next Senate president

The contest for the presidency of Nigeria’s 11th Senate is beginning to take shape ahead of the 2027 general elections, with incumbent Senate President Godswill Akpabio seeking to retain his position, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma reportedly eyeing a return to the National Assembly, and other influential politicians positioning themselves for a potentially fierce battle.

The emerging struggle has drawn in prominent figures within the ruling All Progressives Congress, including Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, Senator Adams Oshiomhole and former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari, whose political interests could influence the race.

Despite expressions of support from some serving senators, the eventual outcome will depend largely on the composition of the 11th National Assembly and the votes of senators-elect when the chamber is inaugurated in June 2027.

A history of changing leadership

Since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, nine politicians have occupied the office of Senate President, reflecting the political rivalries and shifting alliances that have characterised the upper chamber.

Evan Enwerem, the first Senate President of the Fourth Republic, was removed in November 1999, barely five months after assuming office, and succeeded by Chuba Okadigbo, who was also removed in August 2000.

Anyim Pius Anyim subsequently led the chamber until 2003, followed by Adolphus Wabara, who resigned in 2005, and Ken Nnamani, whose tenure ended in 2007.

David Mark’s emergence in June 2007 ushered in a period of relative stability, as he retained the position through the sixth and seventh National Assemblies, serving eight years until 2015.

His successors, Bukola Saraki and Ahmad Lawan, presided over the eighth and ninth Senates, respectively, before Akpabio emerged as Senate President following the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023.

A successful re-election bid would give Akpabio a second consecutive term, a feat last achieved by Mark in the Fourth Republic.

The 2023 contest and Akpabio’s ambition

Ahead of the 2023 National Assembly inauguration, the APC endorsed Akpabio as its preferred candidate for Senate President, partly on the grounds of religious representation, as President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima are both Muslims.

Yari, a Muslim and senator representing Zamfara West, nevertheless contested the position, attracting support from lawmakers who questioned the party’s arrangements for distributing key political offices.

Akpabio’s decision to withdraw from the APC presidential primary in 2022 and endorse Tinubu has also been cited by some analysts as a factor that strengthened his political standing within the party.

The contest was eventually settled through a secret ballot on June 13, 2023, with Akpabio securing 63 votes against Yari’s 46.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio

Akpabio has since indicated that he wants to retain the office, declaring at the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja on October 14 that there should be no vacancy in the Senate presidency.

Although he did not mention Uzodimma by name, his remarks came amid reports that the Imo governor was positioning himself for the position.

During plenary on October 15, Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno and Senator Cyril Fasuyi also expressed confidence that Akpabio and other principal officers could return after the 2027 elections.

Uzodimma’s Senate ambition and Wike’s opposition

Uzodimma’s emergence as the APC candidate for Imo West senatorial district has intensified speculation about his political plans beyond his tenure as governor.

Uzodinma: Imo state governor

His second term is expected to end in January 2028, while the next National Assembly is scheduled to begin in June 2027, meaning he would have to address the constitutional restrictions on simultaneously holding the governorship and a Senate seat if he won the election and intended to take up his legislative position.

Wike has openly opposed the governor’s reported ambition, declaring in September that he would not support his bid for the Senate presidency.

The FCT minister accused some governors of attempting to influence the next National Assembly leadership by determining which candidates enter the legislature.

Uzodimma’s immediate challenge is therefore to win the senatorial election and build sufficient support among lawmakers, while Akpabio must defend his incumbency against political interests that could extend beyond the current Senate.

Oshiomhole and the rules controversy

The Senate leadership contest was further complicated in May 2026 when the chamber amended its Standing Orders to require lawmakers seeking presiding and principal offices to have served at least two consecutive terms.

The amendment generated controversy amid speculation that former governors and other political figures were preparing to return to the Senate and pursue leadership positions.

Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole

Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North, challenged both the procedure and implications of the changes, leading to a public confrontation with Akpabio during plenary.

The senator subsequently called for Akpabio’s resignation, arguing that the amendment raised concerns about fairness and the integrity of the chamber’s leadership arrangements.

The Senate later reversed the changes following concerns that some provisions could conflict with the 1999 Constitution, leaving the contest to be determined by political support and the votes of senators-elect.

Regional calculations and party interests

The regional origins of the leading contenders could also influence political calculations within the APC, particularly as the party prepares for the 2027 elections.

Akpabio represents Akwa Ibom State in the South-South, while Uzodimma comes from Imo State in the South-East, where the APC has historically struggled to establish broad electoral support.

The party failed to win a National Assembly seat in the South-East in 2015 but secured 12 seats in 2019 and 13 in 2023, comprising six Senate seats and seven House of Representatives seats.

Its presidential vote in the region rose from approximately 200,000 in 2015 to about 405,000 in 2019 before falling to roughly 127,000 in 2023, indicating that gains in legislative representation have not translated into consistent presidential support.

At the state level, Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has declared support for Akpabio, arguing that the state should back the incumbent rather than encourage another aspirant from the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District to replace him.

“This one that we have, let us support him,” Eno said, making a case for continuity in the leadership of the Senate.

Akpabio has also argued that his emergence as Senate President in 2023 represented an important breakthrough for the South-South, which he said had not produced a Senate President for about 45 years before his election.

At the APC South-South zonal congress in Asaba in March 2026, he urged the region to support Tinubu’s re-election bid by delivering substantial votes in 2027.

Whether such regional considerations will influence the Senate presidency contest remains uncertain, as the final decision rests with the lawmakers elected into the next chamber.

What political observers say

A professor of Political Science and former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Kayode Soremekun, said the contest would depend on Tinubu’s preference, the political strength of the contenders and their ability to mobilise senators-elect.

He described the race as speculative at this stage but identified Akpabio, Uzodimma and Yari as important figures in the emerging calculations.

Soremekun argued that Akpabio’s experience in the Senate could give him an advantage over Uzodimma, who would be entering the chamber after serving as governor if he won the Imo West election.

“The governor who is seeking to resign from his governorship and move into the Senate is a very interesting scenario. He will be coming in as an outsider, and to that extent, it is like he will be running against the wind,” he said.

However, the professor cautioned that political resources and influential networks could significantly affect the contest.

“In Nigeria, what I can say is that money talks. The two of them, Akpabio on one hand and Uzodimma on the other, are heavily loaded,” he said.

He also identified Tinubu’s position as a major factor, suggesting that the President’s relationship with Akpabio and the Senate President’s record of supporting government proposals could favour continuity.

“In football, they say you don’t change a winning team. Why would he want to change when most of the time, Akpabio has been known to endorse virtually all his proposals?” Soremekun asked.

He added that Yari’s possible participation could introduce religious considerations into the debate, particularly given the current religious composition of the presidency.

Beyond political alliances, Soremekun urged Nigerians to examine the records of those seeking the Senate presidency and assess their contributions to their constituents.

“What is their record? What is the performance of all these various people in their constituencies? Beyond these intra-elitist games, what have they been able to do for the Nigerian people?” he asked.

A former member of the House of Representatives, Oghene Egoh, similarly urged the contenders to wait until the 11th Senate is constituted before intensifying their struggle for its leadership.

Egoh said the early manoeuvring reflected the realities of politics but maintained that the final decision should be left to the lawmakers elected into the chamber.

Political commentator and founder of TAF Africa, Jake Epelle, was more critical, arguing that the Senate presidency should not be treated as a position that can be allocated before elections.

“The Senate is not a monarchy, nor is it a hereditary throne,” Epelle said, questioning the propriety of attempts to determine the next Senate leadership before voters elect its members.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives member Akin Alabi, responding to a question on X about Uzodimma’s possible victory in Imo West, said the governor would resign on June 14, 2027, allowing his deputy to assume office.

Alabi also suggested that if the deputy subsequently secured the APC ticket and won the November 2027 governorship election, the deputy would serve only one term.

Ultimately, the race for the 11th Senate presidency remains unsettled, with Akpabio’s bid for continuity competing against Uzodimma’s reported ambition and the calculations of other influential politicians.

The decisive factors will emerge after the 2027 elections, when the identities of the senators-elect, their alliances and their preferred candidate for the chamber’s top position become clearer.

The post Akpabio vs Uzodimma: Inside the power struggle for Nigeria’s next Senate president appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.