The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu ruled that evidence presented before the court established that Okorocha won the APC senatorial primary conducted on May 18, 2026.The judge consequently ordered the APC to submit Okorocha’s name to INEC as its duly nominated candidate for the election. He also directed Governor Hope Uzodimma to stop presenting himself as the party’s candidate for the senatorial district.
The case followed a legal challenge filed by Okorocha, who disputed INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma as the winner of the party’s primary election.
The former governor argued that the commission should recognise the outcome reflected in the reports of its officials who monitored the primary.
Uzodimma had previously been recognised as the APC candidate for the senatorial seat, despite Okorocha’s challenge to the nomination.
However, the judgment has introduced a fresh development into the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections.Following the ruling, the Imo State chapter of the APC maintained that Uzodimma remained its candidate and indicated that it would examine the judgment before deciding on further legal action. Okorocha governed Imo State from 2011 to 2019 and represented Imo West Senatorial District in the Senate from 2019 to 2023.
The legal dispute could continue if the affected parties pursue an appeal.Category: PoliticsTags: Rochas Okorocha, Hope Uzodimma, APC, INEC, Imo State, 2027 ElectionsFeatured image: A photograph of Rochas Okorocha and Hope Uzodimma.
