The battle for the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket for Imo West has taken a fresh turn, with Governor Hope Uzodimma heading to the Court of Appeal to challenge a Federal High Court judgment that nullified his nomination and declared former Governor Rochas Okorocha the party’s candidate for the January 16, 2027 election.
While the Imo State chapter of the APC insisted that Uzodimma remains its duly nominated candidate despite the judgment, Okorocha’s camp celebrated the ruling as a victory for the judiciary, constitutional democracy, and the people of Imo State.
The conflicting positions followed Wednesday’s judgment by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja. The court nullified Uzodimma’s recognition as the APC candidate, declared Okorocha the winner of the party’s May 18, 2026 primary election, and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace the governor’s name with that of the former governor.
The ruling sparked jubilation among Okorocha’s supporters in parts of Imo State, particularly the Imo West Senatorial District. Meanwhile, Uzodimma’s camp rejected the decision as a travesty of justice and announced plans to challenge it.
**Uzodimma’s Camp Reacts**
The State Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, said the governor’s camp would explore available judicial remedies to overturn the judgment, accusing the trial judge of disregarding established Supreme Court decisions governing pre-election disputes.
Emelumba argued that the Federal High Court ought not to have entertained Okorocha’s suit because it involved disputed allegations of forgery and perjury, which he maintained could not properly be determined through originating summons and affidavit evidence.
He alleged that Justice Egwuatu was presented with Supreme Court judgments establishing the procedure for resolving such disputes but failed to apply them, instead delivering judgment in favor of Okorocha on the strength of affidavit evidence he claimed was founded on forged documents.
The commissioner also challenged the competence of the suit, maintaining that it was filed outside the constitutionally prescribed period for instituting pre-election cases. Citing the Supreme Court decision in *Orji v. Chima*, Emelumba argued that an aspirant seeking a judicial declaration as the winner of a party primary must institute proceedings within 14 days of the event.
He pointed out that the disputed primary was conducted on May 18, 2026, while Okorocha instituted his action on August 13, 2026—a period of 87 days.
“As law-abiding citizens, we will explore the judicial avenues available to set aside the Federal High Court ruling and recover our mandate,” Emelumba declared.
Similarly, the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, maintained that the judgment had not changed the party’s position on its candidate for the senatorial election.
“The party wishes to state without any confusion that His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, remains the candidate of our party for the Imo West Senatorial District, having won the primaries of our great party with the overwhelming support of the majority of our members,” Jones said in a statement issued in Owerri.
Jones urged party members and supporters to remain focused, undistracted, and committed to working assiduously for the party’s victory across all constituencies in the state.
**Okorocha’s Camp Celebrates**
On the other hand, Okorocha’s Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, welcomed the judgment, stating that the court had settled the controversy over who won the APC primary.
“The court granted Okorocha all the reliefs he sought, declared him the authentic candidate of the APC for the Imo West Senatorial District, and equally ordered INEC to enlist Okorocha’s name to that effect,” he said.
Onwuemeodo expressed appreciation for the spontaneous celebrations in Imo State, describing them as a testament to the former governor’s grassroots support.
“This judgment, to say the least, is a resounding victory for the nation’s judiciary. It’s a victory for our fast-growing democracy, an outstanding victory for the Constitution, and a notable victory for posterity and history,” he added.
According to Onwuemeodo, Okorocha also sought a judicial determination on whether Uzodimma could constitutionally contest the 2027 senatorial election while serving a governorship tenure scheduled to expire in January 2028. He claimed the court resolved this question against the governor, holding that it was wrong to contest another paid elective office while a current tenure was running.
**Inside the Court Ruling**
The judgment arose from Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026. In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu held that the evidence established that Okorocha secured the majority of lawful votes cast during the primary and was entitled to the APC ticket.
The judge held that Uzodimma’s nomination violated Sections 29 and 32 of the Electoral Act and failed to comply with APC guidelines. He questioned the authenticity and consistency of documents tendered by the APC to justify Uzodimma’s nomination, observing that they contained contradictory accounts—ranging from the adoption of Option A4, to a consensus arrangement, to a direct primary.
By contrast, the court found that documents released to Okorocha indicated he secured the majority of lawful votes across the 10 local government areas of the senatorial district.
Speaking with journalists after the judgment, Okorocha’s counsel, O.J. Aboje, said his client had been completely vindicated.
With the legal battle now shifting to the Court of Appeal, the APC in Imo State remains caught between a trial court ruling favoring Okorocha and a state leadership determined to protect Uzodimma’s candidacy.
