Court nullifies Uzodimma’s Senate ticket, orders APC to submit Okorocha’s name

A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified Governor Hope Uzodimma’s emergence as the All Progressives Congress candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a judgment delivered on Thursday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to publish the name of former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, as the APC candidate for the 16 January 2027 senatorial election.

The court also ordered Uzodimma to stop presenting himself as the APC candidate for the Imo West senatorial seat.

Justice Egwuatu held that the evidence before the court established that Okorocha won the APC primary election conducted on 18 May 2026, and monitored by INEC.

The judge consequently directed the APC to forward Okorocha’s name to INEC as its candidate for the election.

The ruling followed a suit filed by Okorocha challenging Uzodimma’s recognition as the party’s candidate.

Disputed primary result

The case centred on conflicting claims over the outcome of the 18 May APC primary.

While Mr Okorocha argued that he won the primary and challenged INEC’s subsequent recognition of Uzodimma, the electoral commission had officially recognised Uzodimma as the winner with 230,464 votes, against Okorocha’s 1,098 votes.

Mr Okorocha, in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026, challenged the result and questioned the legality of INEC’s publication of Uzodimma’s name as the APC candidate.

The former governor also raised issues concerning Uzodimma’s eligibility to contest the senatorial election while serving as Imo State governor.

APC, Uzodimma opposed suit

Mr Uzodimma and the APC had opposed Okorocha’s case and urged the court to dismiss it.

They argued, among other things, that the suit was filed outside the constitutionally prescribed period.

INEC also opposed the suit, maintaining that its officials monitored the primary and reported that Uzodimma secured the highest number of votes.

However, Justice Egwuatu, after considering the evidence before the court, held that Okorocha emerged winner of the primary and ordered that he be recognised as the APC candidate.

The ruling effectively removes Uzodimma from the APC’s current ticket for the Imo West Senatorial District, pending any further legal action or appeal.