CONTENTION for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Imo West Senatorial ticket took a new turn on Thursday, October 29, as Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ordered the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, to immediately stop presenting himself as candidate in the January 16, 2027 election.
Justice Egwuatu held that Uzodimma did not win the May 18 primary election conducted by the APC and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), noting that the evidence presented before the court proved that former governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha, actually won the majority of the votes cast at the election and should be declared the winner.
Justice Egwuatu subsequently ordered the APC to forward Okorocha’s name as its candidate for Imo West senatorial in next year’s election.
In the originating summons, filed on August 13, this year, by his Counsel, O.J. Aboje, Okorocha, also a former senator, had sued INEC for publishing Uzodimma’s name as the candidate, listing other respondents in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026, as APC.
Chairman and returning officer of the 2026 Imo APC National Assembly primary election committee, Williams Kayode, declared Uzodimma winner of the contest, with 230,464 votes.
Uzodimma was sworn in for a second term as governor in January 2024, and his tenure expires in January 2028, while the 11th senate will be inaugurated in June 2027, over six months before then, making observers to wonder if he would resign as governor should he win the senatorial election.
Uzodimma is alleged to be already eyeing the position of senate president, causing a simmering rift with the current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who is seeking another term.
In the suit, Okorocha asked the court to determine whether INEC was not bound by the reports of its officers who monitored the APC primary.
Citing Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which states: “The Governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever,” he asked the court to determine whether the publication of Uzodimma’s name by INEC as winner of the primary was not wrongful.
The former governor prayed the court to declare that it was unconstitutional for INEC to publish Uzodimma’s name as APC’s candidate when he did not emerge as winner of the primary election, and also sought an order setting aside or voiding the publication made by INEC declaring Uzodimma as the aspirant who polled the highest number of votes cast.
Okorocha prayed the court for an order directing INEC to recognise and publish his name as the duly nominated candidate of APC to contest the poll, as well as an order prohibiting Uzodimma, whether by himself or through the APC or anyone, from parading himself as the nominated candidate of the party to contest the election.
The affidavit attached to the suit and deposed to by his son, Amen Rochas, said Uzodimma’s tenure would not have expired by next year when the senate would be inaugurated, alleging that the direct primary election was conducted by APC on May 18 and his father emerged victorious by scoring 150,780 votes, while Uzodimma mustered 102,158 votes.
Recall that Okorocha was arrested and interrogated earlier in the month in connection with the ticket and later released after he failed to honour Police invitations over allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
