The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed allegations linking him to a Federal High Court judgment that recognised former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.
Wike described the claims as mischievous, insisting that he had no involvement in the legal proceedings that resulted in the removal of incumbent Governor Hope Uzodimma as the party’s recognised candidate.
The minister made the clarification during a live media chat on Thursday, November 5, while responding to questions about whether he influenced the judgment delivered on October 29.
“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.
He also criticised a reported warning by Uzodimma against supporters of the proposed Rainbow Coalition in Imo State, allegedly issued a day before the court ruling.
The governor had reportedly threatened to seize the vehicles of anyone found promoting the political arrangement in the state.
Describing the reported remark as uncivilised, Wike said: “They were saying that because a day before that judgment was given, he had openly warned people that, ‘No Rainbow Coalition here. If I see… I’ll collect the vehicle for you.’ Very, very uncivilised.”
The FCT minister further explained a video circulating online showing him dancing with Okorocha, saying the footage was recorded when he hosted the former governor while he was still in office.
“Now they showed the video where Rochas and I danced when I hosted him when he was governor. So that was that dance,” he added.
The controversy followed a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Okorocha as the APC candidate for Imo West Senatorial District.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu ruled that Okorocha emerged victorious in the party’s senatorial primary held on May 18, 2026, and ordered INEC to substitute Uzodimma’s name with that of the former governor.
The judgment was delivered following a suit instituted by Okorocha, who challenged 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 valid votes cast.
However, the ruling has been challenged by the Imo State chapter of the APC, while Uzodimma has indicated his intention to appeal.
Political tensions between Wike and Uzodimma over the proposed Rainbow Coalition have also contributed to speculation surrounding the minister’s alleged involvement in the dispute.
The coalition is an arrangement designed to unite politicians across party lines to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 without requiring them to abandon their existing political affiliations or support APC candidates in other elections.
Wike, who remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has maintained that his support for Tinubu does not prevent the opposition party from presenting candidates for governorship and legislative elections.
Under the proposed arrangement, PDP members could mobilise support for Tinubu in the presidential election while campaigning for their party’s candidates in other contests.
Okorocha had previously endorsed the idea during an October 29 appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he praised Wike’s political strategy and announced plans to establish a similar coalition in Imo State.
The former governor said he intended to bring together members of the PDP and other political groups to support Tinubu’s re-election.
Defending the arrangement during Thursday’s media chat, Wike argued that politicians could support the same presidential candidate without necessarily adopting identical positions on governorship and legislative elections.
He maintained that securing Tinubu’s victory in 2027 remained his immediate political priority.
“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.
