A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has nullified the recognition of Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, as the All Progressives Congress candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections. The court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to publish the name of former governor Rochas Okorocha as the party's candidate. This decision was made by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who declared Okorocha the lawful winner of the APC primary held on May 18, 2026.
According to the court, Uzodimma's nomination breached Sections 29 and 32 of the Electoral Act and failed to comply with the APC's guidelines for conducting primary elections. The judge held that it was unlawful and fraudulent for the party to have forwarded Uzodimma's name to INEC as the winner of a primary election he did not win. Okorocha had challenged Uzodimma's recognition as the party's candidate, arguing that the outcome announced in favour of the incumbent governor did not reflect the result of the primary monitored by INEC.
The dispute arose from conflicting claims over the outcome of the APC primary for the Imo West Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections. Uzodimma was declared the winner of the primary and recognised by INEC, which maintained that the official results showed that the governor polled 230,464 votes, while Okorocha received 1,098 votes. However, a separate document subsequently circulated, purporting to show that Okorocha won the primary with 150,780 votes.
Justice Egwuatu questioned the authenticity and consistency of documents submitted by the APC to justify Uzodimma's nomination. He said that majority of the documents tendered by APC to support the purported nomination of Uzodimma contradicted each other, indicating that they were clearly fabricated for the unlawful purpose of nominating Uzodimma as the candidate. The judge also faulted INEC for accepting Uzodimma's nomination despite overwhelming documentary evidence showing that the governor was not the lawful winner of the primary.
The judge ordered the APC to forward Okorocha's name to INEC and directed the commission to replace Uzodimma's name with that of the former governor. Okorocha's counsel, O.J Aboje, described the judgment as a vindication of his client, whom he noted had been accused in the media of forging the results. Aboje said that the court has proved that his client was not a forger, but a victim of circumstance.
Okorocha's son, Amen Rochas, commended the judiciary for its fair judgment, despite what he alleged as attempts to arm twist the courts using fake news. He also commended his father for remaining focused on President Tinubu's campaign despite overwhelming pressure arising from the dispute. The judgment has brought an end to the lingering dispute over the APC senatorial candidate for Imo West.
The court's decision has significant implications for the 2027 general elections, particularly in the Imo West Senatorial District. With Okorocha declared the winner of the APC primary, he is expected to be the party's candidate for the senatorial election. KEY_POINT: The Federal High Court in Abuja has declared Rochas Okorocha the winner of the APC primary for the Imo West Senatorial District. KEY_POINT: The court nullified Hope Uzodimma's recognition as the party's candidate, citing breaches of the Electoral Act and APC guidelines. KEY_POINT: Okorocha's name will be submitted to INEC as the APC candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections.
