Susan Abayomi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing fresh divisions over its Imo West Senatorial District ticket following a Federal High Court judgment declaring former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha the party’s candidate for the January 16, 2027 election.
The ruling has triggered conflicting reactions within the party, with Okorocha’s supporters celebrating the decision while the Imo State APC leadership insists that Governor Hope Uzodimma remains its duly nominated candidate and has announced plans to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered the judgment, nullifying Uzodimma’s recognition as the APC senatorial candidate, declaring Okorocha the winner of the party’s May 18, 2026 primary and directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace the governor’s name with that of the former governor.
Reacting to the development, the APC State Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, maintained that Uzodimma remained the party’s candidate, insisting that he emerged victorious in the primary election with the support of the majority of party members.
Jones said the party’s legal department would study the judgment and determine the appropriate steps to take, while urging members and supporters to remain focused on preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Similarly, the Imo State Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, described the judgment as a travesty of justice, accusing the trial judge of disregarding established Supreme Court decisions relating to electoral disputes.
Emelumba questioned the competence of Okorocha’s suit, arguing that it was instituted outside the constitutionally prescribed period for filing pre-election matters.
Citing the Supreme Court decision in Orji v. Chima, he maintained that an aspirant seeking a judicial declaration as the winner of a party primary must institute proceedings within 14 days of the event giving rise to the dispute.
He noted that the disputed APC primary was conducted on May 18, 2026, while Okorocha filed his suit on August 13, 2026, 87 days later.
The commissioner also argued that allegations of forgery and perjury raised in the dispute could not properly be determined through originating summons and affidavit evidence.
He said the governor’s camp would explore available judicial options to overturn the ruling.
On the other hand, Okorocha’s Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, welcomed the judgment, describing it as a victory for democracy, the judiciary and the people of Imo State.
He said the court granted all the reliefs sought by the former governor and directed INEC to recognise him as the authentic APC candidate for Imo West.
Onwuemeodo also expressed appreciation for the celebrations that followed the judgment, particularly in the senatorial district, describing the public reaction as an indication of support for Okorocha.
He disclosed that the former governor had approached the court to challenge the outcome of the APC primary and question whether Uzodimma could contest another elective office while his current governorship tenure was still running.
According to him, the court also resolved the issue against Uzodimma, holding that the governor could not contest another paid elective position while still serving his existing tenure.
The judgment arose from suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026, in which Okorocha challenged the outcome of the May 18 APC primary and INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma as the party’s candidate.
In its decision, the court held that the evidence presented established that Okorocha secured the majority of lawful votes cast during the primary.
Justice Egwuatu also faulted the documents submitted by the APC to support Uzodimma’s nomination, observing that they contained contradictory accounts of how the primary was conducted.
The judge noted that while one document indicated that the party adopted Option A4, another claimed that Uzodimma emerged through consensus, while a third stated that a direct primary was conducted.
The court considered the inconsistencies significant and held that the documents released to Okorocha following a formal request supported his claim that he won the primary across the 10 local government areas in the senatorial district.
It consequently ruled that Uzodimma’s nomination violated Sections 29 and 32 of the Electoral Act and failed to comply with the APC’s primary election guidelines.
The court also faulted INEC for accepting Uzodimma’s nomination despite the documentary evidence presented before it.
Speaking after the judgment, Okorocha’s counsel, O.J. Aboje, said the ruling had vindicated his client against allegations surrounding the authenticity of the election results.
Okorocha’s son and Special Adviser on Political Matters, Amen Rochas, also commended the judiciary, accusing unnamed interests of attempting to influence public perception of the proceedings.
With Uzodimma’s camp preparing to approach the Court of Appeal, the dispute over the APC’s Imo West senatorial ticket remains unresolved at the political level, setting the stage for another round of legal proceedings ahead of the 2027 general elections.
