Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has vowed to challenge the Federal High Court judgment that recognised former governor Rochas Okorocha as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections.
The governor, through his Chief Press Secretary, Oguike Nwachukwu, described the ruling as a temporary setback, expressing confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn the decision.
The reaction followed a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, October 29, 2026, which removed Uzodimma as the APC’s senatorial candidate and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Okorocha as the party’s duly nominated candidate.
In the ruling, Justice Obiora Egwuatu held that the evidence presented before the court established that Okorocha won the party’s senatorial primary election conducted on May 18, 2026.
UZODIMMA’S CAMP INSISTS HE WON THE PRIMARY
Speaking on the governor’s behalf, Nwachukwu maintained that Uzodimma legitimately emerged victorious in the APC primary election.
He explained that the party adopted consensus arrangements in Imo East and Imo North Senatorial Districts after consultations among political stakeholders.
According to him, Prince Alex Mbata emerged as the party’s candidate in Imo East, while Senator Patrick Ndubueze secured the ticket in Imo North.
However, the situation in Imo West was different because Okorocha reportedly rejected the consensus arrangement and chose to contest against the sitting governor.
Nwachukwu claimed that Uzodimma won the primary by a wide margin, polling 230,464 votes against Okorocha’s 1,098 votes across the 12 local government areas in the senatorial district.
He further maintained that INEC officials monitored the exercise and that the APC National Assembly Primary Election Committee supervised the process.
The committee was reportedly headed by retired Rear Admiral Williams Kayoda.
OKOROCHA QUESTIONS THE CREDIBILITY OF THE PRIMARY
The disagreement between the two politicians intensified after Okorocha appeared on Arise News’ Prime Time programme, where he discussed the controversy surrounding the APC senatorial ticket.
During the interview, the former governor maintained that he remained politically relevant in Imo State and accused Uzodimma of relying on questionable documents to secure the party’s nomination.
Okorocha also challenged the credibility of the primary election records submitted in support of the governor’s emergence as the party’s candidate.
However, Uzodimma’s spokesperson dismissed the allegations, insisting that the governor had followed the party’s established electoral process and won the exercise.
GOVERNOR’S SPOKESPERSON CRITICISES OKOROCHA
Nwachukwu also accused the former governor of undermining the APC by refusing to accept the outcome of the party’s primary election.
He rejected Okorocha’s claim to control the party’s political structure in Imo State, arguing that the APC constitution recognises a sitting governor as the party’s leader at the state level.
He added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained the national leader of the APC, while Uzodimma was responsible for leading the party’s structure in Imo State.
The governor’s spokesperson further accused Okorocha of treating the party’s political structure as personal property rather than respecting its established leadership.
He also criticised the former governor’s eight-year administration in Imo State, questioning his claims of continued political influence in the state.
COURT BATTLE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
Despite the Federal High Court’s decision, Uzodimma’s camp has indicated that it will pursue the matter through the appellate courts.
The development means that the dispute over the APC ticket for Imo West Senatorial District is far from settled, with the final outcome likely to depend on the decision of the higher courts.
The controversy has further deepened the longstanding political rivalry between Uzodimma and Okorocha, both of whom have served as governors of Imo State.
For now, the governor’s camp remains confident that the judgment will be reversed on appeal, while Okorocha has secured a major legal victory in his bid to return to the Nigerian Senate.
