Imo West Senate Race: Court rules for Okorocha, APC maintains support for Uzodimma

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the recognition of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise former governor Rochas Okorocha as the party’s lawful candidate.

However, the Imo State chapter of the APC has rejected suggestions that Uzodimma has lost the ticket, insisting that the governor remains its candidate while its legal department reviews the court’s decision.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who delivered the judgment on Thursday, held that Uzodimma did not win the party’s senatorial primary conducted on May 18, 2026, and restrained him from parading himself as the APC candidate for the election scheduled for January 16, 2027.

The court declared Okorocha the lawful winner of the primary, which was monitored by INEC, and directed the APC to submit his name to the electoral commission for publication as its candidate.

Justice Egwuatu also set aside INEC’s publication of Uzodimma’s name, describing the decision as wrongful and unlawful.

The judge held that the governor’s nomination breached Sections 29 and 32 of the Electoral Act and failed to comply with the party’s primary election guidelines.

He further faulted the electoral commission for accepting Uzodimma’s nomination despite documentary evidence which, according to the court, established that Okorocha secured the majority of lawful votes cast.

The judge expressed doubts about the authenticity of documents submitted by the APC to justify the governor’s nomination, citing inconsistencies in the accounts of how the primary was conducted.

“Majority of the documents tendered by APC to support the purported nomination of Uzodimma (3rd respondent) contradict each other, indicating that they were clearly fabricated for the unlawful purpose of nominating the 3rd respondent as candidate,” he said.

He added that the court could not attach evidential value to documents whose authenticity had been called into question.

The judge also identified conflicting accounts from party officials, with some documents indicating that Option A4 was used for the primary, while others claimed Uzodimma emerged through consensus or a direct primary.

He considered the discrepancies significant, particularly because votes were reportedly allocated to the aspirants despite the claim that a consensus arrangement produced the governor.

The dispute arose after Uzodimma was declared winner of the primary, with INEC recognising him as the APC candidate. The official result reportedly credited the governor with 230,464 votes and Okorocha with 1,098 votes.

However, a separate document circulated during the dispute purportedly showed Okorocha winning with 150,780 votes.

Okorocha subsequently approached the Federal High Court, challenging Uzodimma’s nomination and INEC’s recognition of the governor as the party’s candidate.

APC Insists Uzodinma Remains Candidate

Reacting to the judgment, the Imo APC, in a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, said Uzodimma remained its candidate for Imo West Senatorial District.

The party described reports of a change in its candidacy as unverified, accusing opposition figures of circulating information about the purported change across social media platforms.

“The Party wishes to state without any confusion that His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, remains the candidate of our Party for Imo West Senatorial District, having won the primaries of our great Party with the overwhelming support of the majority of our Party members,” the statement said.

The APC, however, acknowledged the court’s intervention, saying its legal department would study the outcome and determine the appropriate response.

“The Party’s legal department shall study the outcome of a legal intervention in this matter and act accordingly,” it added.

The party urged its members and supporters to remain focused and committed to securing victory across constituencies in the state.

The statement did not indicate whether the party intended to appeal the judgment.

Okorocha Welcomes Rulling

Okorocha welcomed the judgment, describing it as a victory for justice and commending the judiciary for its decision.

Speaking after the ruling, the former governor alleged that the disputed primary reflected a broader pattern in which electoral results were manipulated to favour candidates who did not win.

“Justice has finally prevailed. This was the same thing that happened when one person wrote more than 300 results, causing someone who came fourth to become number one,” he said.

Okorocha added: “I appreciate the Nigerian judiciary, and it is evident that the Presidency is tired of this nonsense.”

His comments were allegations made in reaction to the judgment and were not presented as findings concerning the Presidency.

Counsel to Okorocha, O.J. Aboje, also described the ruling as a vindication of his client, who he said had faced accusations of forging documents during the dispute.

The former governor’s son and Special Adviser on Political Matters, Amen Rochas, commended the judiciary, alleging that attempts had been made to influence public perception of the case through fake news.

He also praised his father for remaining focused on President Bola Tinubu’s campaign despite the controversy.

The ruling marks a significant development in the APC’s preparations for the 2027 elections in Imo West, where the dispute over the party’s nomination has pitted the incumbent governor against his predecessor.

With the state chapter maintaining its support for Uzodimma while the court has ordered INEC to recognise Okorocha, attention will now turn to the party’s legal response and the implementation of the judgment.