By Paul Joseph
Former Imo State Governor and ex-Senator representing Imo West, Rochas Okorocha, has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) recognition of Governor Hope Uzodimma as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.
Okorocha listed INEC, Uzodimma and the APC as defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026, filed on August 13, 2026, by his counsel, O.J. Aboje.
The former governor is contesting the outcome of the APC senatorial primary conducted on May 18, 2026, and is asking the court to declare him the rightful winner and candidate of the party for the election.
At the primary, Williams Kayode, Chairman and Returning Officer of the APC 2026 Imo National Assembly Primary Election Committee, reportedly declared Uzodimma the winner with 230,464 votes.
Okorocha, however, disputes the result, insisting that the primary produced him as the winner.
In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Amen Rochas, the former governor’s son, alleged that Okorocha secured 150,780 votes against Uzodimma’s 102,158 votes at the direct primary.
The former governor is also questioning INEC’s decision to publish Uzodimma’s name as the APC candidate, despite reports allegedly submitted by officials who monitored the primary.
Among other issues, Okorocha is asking the court to determine whether INEC was legally bound to rely on the reports of its officials who monitored the May 18 primary.
He is also challenging Uzodimma’s eligibility to contest the senatorial election while still serving as governor of Imo State.
Okorocha cited Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that a serving governor shall not hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity.
According to the suit, Uzodimma, who began his second term as governor in January 2024, is expected to remain in office until January 2028. This would mean that his tenure would still be running when the 11th National Assembly is inaugurated in June 2027.
The legal challenge therefore raises questions over whether Uzodimma would be required to relinquish the governorship if he wins the senatorial election and subsequently takes his seat in the Senate.
Okorocha is asking the court to declare INEC’s publication of Uzodimma as the APC’s Imo West candidate unconstitutional and unlawful.
He is also seeking an order setting aside the publication and directing INEC to recognise and publish his name as the APC’s duly nominated candidate for the 2027 Imo West senatorial election.
The former governor further wants the court to restrain Uzodimma, the APC or any person acting on their behalf from presenting the governor as the party’s nominated candidate for the election.
The suit now places the contentious Imo West ticket before the judiciary, with the outcome potentially determining who will fly the APC flag in the senatorial contest.
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