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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed suggestions that he influenced the High Court judgment recognising former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 elections.
Wike described the claims as mischievous, saying he had no involvement in the legal dispute and was not a member of the APC.
He provided the clarification during a live media chat in Rivers State on Thursday, responding to questions about the judgment delivered on October 29.
He said those linking him to the ruling were acting out of mischief, insisting that he neither filed the case nor participated in the proceedings.
“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,” he said.
Wike also reacted to reports that Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma had threatened to confiscate vehicles belonging to anyone promoting a proposed Rainbow Coalition in Imo State, allegedly a day before the court delivered its judgment.
Wike described the reported threat as uncivilised, saying, “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.”
He also dismissed the significance of a video showing him dancing with Okorocha, explaining that the footage was recorded when he hosted the former governor during his time 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,” Wike said.
The controversy followed a High Court judgment in Abuja directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 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 held on May 18, 2026. The court consequently ordered INEC to replace the governor’s name with that of the former governor.
The ruling came after Okorocha challenged INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma as the winner of the primary. The court held that the evidence presented showed that Okorocha secured the majority of valid votes cast.
However, the Imo State chapter of the APC has challenged the judgment, while Uzodimma has indicated that he intends to appeal the decision.
Speculation about Wike’s alleged connection to the ruling was also linked to his political disagreement with Uzodimma over the proposed Rainbow Coalition.
The initiative seeks to bring politicians from different parties together to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 without requiring them to leave their existing parties or support APC candidates in other elections.
Wike, who remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has argued that party members can support Tinubu in the presidential election while campaigning for PDP candidates in governorship and legislative contests.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s on October 29, Okorocha endorsed the coalition proposal and announced plans to establish a similar alliance in Imo State.
The former governor said he intended to unite members of the PDP and other political groups behind Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Speaking on Thursday, Wike maintained that politicians could support the same presidential candidate while pursuing different interests in other elections.
He argued that political allies did not have to adopt identical campaign strategies or support the same candidates across all electoral contests.
Wike said his main objective was to ensure Tinubu’s victory in the 2027 presidential election, describing it as his immediate political priority.
