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Okorocha Wins Legal Battle for APC’s Imo West Ticket as Court Rejects Uzodimma’s Claim
Okorocha Wins Legal Battle for APC’s Imo West Ticket as Court Rejects Uzodimma’s Claim
Federal High Court nullifies Uzodimma’s nomination, orders APC to submit Okorocha’s name to INEC
Judge rules that former Imo governor won the May 18, 2026, senatorial primary
Okorocha’s camp claims he scored 150,780 votes against Uzodimma’s 102,158
The governor, APC, and INEC had disputed Okorocha’s account of the primary election
October 29, () – Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has secured a major legal victory in the battle for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for Imo West Senatorial District, following a ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja recognising him as the winner of the party’s primary election.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu held that the evidence before the court established that Okorocha secured the majority of votes cast in the May 18 primary, contrary to the result on which Governor Hope Uzodimma’s claim to the ticket was based.
The judge ordered Uzodimma to stop presenting himself as the APC’s senatorial candidate for Imo West in the January 16, 2027 election. He also directed the party to forward Okorocha’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its duly nominated candidate.
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The decision marks a significant turn in the contest between the two prominent Imo politicians, whose dispute over the senatorial ticket has centred on conflicting accounts of the outcome of the party primary.
Dispute over primary results
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Okorocha, who governed Imo State from 2011 to 2019 and represented Imo West in the Senate from 2019 to 2023, challenged the recognition of Uzodimma as the APC’s candidate after the primary election.
In his suit, the former governor questioned the validity of INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma and argued that the electoral commission should be guided by the records of the primary monitored by its officials.
Court reports on the case show that Okorocha’s legal challenge was based on his contention that he had won the May 18 contest but was not recognised as the party’s candidate.
Uzodimma and the APC disputed that account. In their submissions, they maintained that the governor had won the primary and challenged the suit on legal grounds, including the argument that it was filed outside the time limit prescribed for pre-election matters.
Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha
INEC also opposed Okorocha’s case, maintaining in its earlier court filings that its monitoring report identified Uzodimma as the winner.
The conflicting positions placed the primary election’s outcome and the records supporting the rival claims at the centre of the dispute.
Implications for the 2027 election
With Justice Egwuatu’s ruling, the APC has been directed to recognise Okorocha as its candidate for the Imo West senatorial contest and submit his name to INEC.
Compliance with the order will be a key next step in resolving the party’s nomination dispute ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The judgment also represents a setback for Uzodimma’s bid for the senatorial seat, as the court has ordered him to cease presenting himself as the party’s nominee.
However, the practical effect of the decision will depend on the implementation of the court’s directives and any further legal steps that may follow.
For the APC, the ruling places the resolution of its Imo West nomination dispute squarely before the party’s leadership as preparations continue for the next general election.
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