Crime
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has vowed to continue pursuing the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket for Imo West, despite a Federal High Court ruling that removed him as the party’s candidate and named his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha, in his place.
Uzodimma spoke after attending Mass at the Government House Chapel in Owerri, Vanguard reported. He dismissed suggestions that he would give up his bid for the Senate in the 2027 general elections. “If they tell you that I will hold this ticket and somebody will collect it and give it to another, tell the person it is a lie,” he said.
The governor urged residents to campaign for the APC in state and federal races. He named Patrick Ndubueze for Okigwe and Alex Mbata for Owerri, while continuing to present himself as the party’s candidate for Orlu, which makes up the Imo West senatorial district.
“Go and campaign for the party, our great party, the APC. There is no other political party we are going with,” he said.
Okorocha had earlier welcomed the October ruling in a statement issued by his media adviser, Sam Onwuemeodo. He described it as a victory for the judiciary, democracy and the constitution, and praised President Bola Tinubu for “providing the enabling environment” for the judiciary and other institutions to function.
“This judgement, to say the least, is a resounding victory for the nation’s judiciary,” Okorocha said. “Finally, it is a victory for Imo people in general, and Imo West Senatorial District people in particular.”
The dispute stems from the APC senatorial primary held on May 18. The initial results showed Uzodimma winning with 230,464 votes to Okorocha’s 1,098. The APC forwarded Uzodimma’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which initially recognised him as the party’s candidate. A separate document later emerged naming Okorocha as the winner with 150,780 votes.
In letters dated October 5 and 8, INEC’s resident electoral commissioner in Imo, Chukwuemeka Ibeziako, described the document naming Okorocha as the winner as “fictitious”. He said the authentic monitoring report identified Uzodimma as the winner. INEC sent copies of both documents to the State Security Service and the Nigeria Police Force and asked them to investigate the origin and authenticity of the disputed report.
Okorocha filed suit against INEC, Uzodimma and the APC at the Federal High Court in Abuja in August. He asked the court to determine whether INEC was bound by the reports of its officials who monitored the primary and whether it was right to recognise Uzodimma as the winner.
The former governor also questioned whether Uzodimma could contest the senatorial election while still serving as governor. Uzodimma’s second term is due to end in January 2028, while the next Senate is expected to be inaugurated in June 2027. Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution bars a sitting governor from holding another executive office or paid employment. Premium Times reported that Uzodimma planned to resign as governor before the end of his term if elected to the Senate.
After the ruling, the APC’s Imo State chapter maintained that Uzodimma remained its candidate. Its spokesperson, Jones Onwuasoanya, said the party would decide its next steps after reviewing the judgment.
“The party’s legal department shall study the outcome of a legal intervention in this matter and act accordingly,” Onwuasoanya said.
