By John Dike Osogbo
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, to stop presenting himself as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Imo West Senatorial District election scheduled for January 16, 2027.
The court also directed the APC to submit the name of former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its candidate for the senatorial election.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the orders on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while delivering judgment in a dispute over the outcome of the APC senatorial primary election conducted on May 18.
The judge reportedly held that the evidence presented before the court established that Uzodimma did not win the primary election, which was monitored by INEC.
According to the judgment, Okorocha secured the majority of votes cast during the exercise and was therefore entitled to be recognised as the party’s candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District.
The court consequently ordered the APC to forward Okorocha’s name to INEC for the 2027 general elections.
The ruling represents a significant development in the political contest over the APC’s senatorial ticket in Imo State, with the court’s decision placing Okorocha in a position to reclaim the party’s ticket for the district.
The dispute centres on the legitimacy of the primary election that produced the party’s candidate for the forthcoming poll and the question of which aspirant secured the majority of votes during the exercise.
By directing the APC to recognise Okorocha as the winner of the primary, the court has placed an obligation on the party to comply with the judgment concerning the nomination of its candidate.
The development could also have implications for the APC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections, particularly in Imo West, where the nomination dispute has drawn attention to the internal processes through which political parties select candidates.
However, the full terms of the judgment, including any additional orders or conditions attached to its implementation, would need to be examined to establish the precise scope of the court’s directives.
As of the information available in the report, there was no immediate reaction from Uzodimma, Okorocha, the APC leadership or INEC concerning the judgment.
The ruling comes as political parties and their aspirants continue preparations for the 2027 general elections, with disputes over party primaries remaining a recurring source of litigation ahead of elections.
Uzodimma who is the chairnan of the Governor’s forum is yet to react to the judgment as political tension heighten and ahead of 2027 general elections.
