Former Governor Okorocha dragged Uzodinma to court over the senatorial ticket

Former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has dragged his predecessor, and current governor of the state, Hope Uzodinma to the Federal High Court in Abuja over the APC ticket to represent Imo West in the Senate in 2027.

Okorocha, who represented Imo West in the Senate between 2019 and 2023, is challenging Governor Uzodimma’s nomination as the party’s nominee.

The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026 was filed on August 13 against Okocha by lawyer, OJ Aboje, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Uzodimma and APC as defendants.

The former governor blamed INEC for publicizing Uzodimma’s name as the winner of the APC senatorial primaries held in May.

Uzodimma was declared the winner of the primaries by Williams Kayode, chairman and returning officer of the 2026 APC Imo National Assembly Primary Election Committee, with 230,464 votes.

However, Okorocha asked the court to determine whether INEC was bound by the report submitted by its officials who monitored the primary elections held on May 18.

He also challenged Uzodinma’s eligibility to contest elections while serving as governor, citing Article 183 of the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits governors from holding executive positions or paid employment.

Uzodinma began his second term as governor in January 2024 and will remain in office until January 2028. The 11th National Assembly is scheduled to be sworn in in June 2027, while Uzodimma is still in office.

But Uzodinma, according to government officials, will vacate the post of deputy governor to complete his second term.

The 11th Senate election will be held simultaneously with the DPR and Presidential elections on January 16 2027.

Okorocha asked the court to declare INEC’s publication of Uzodimma’s name unconstitutional and void, arguing that the governor did not emerge as the legitimate winner of the APC primaries.

He further sought an order directing INEC to recognize and publish his name as the APC’s nominated candidate for Imo West.

The former governor also wants the court to restrain the APC and anyone acting on their behalf from nominating the governor as the party’s candidate.

In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Amen Rochas, Okorocha’s son, alleged that the APC conducted live primaries on May 18 in which his father polled 150,780 votes to Uzodimma’s 102,158 votes.

The suit therefore seeks a judicial determination of who the APC can validly nominate to contest the 2027 senatorial elections.

Uzodimma is the chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and chairman of the New Hope campaign group for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This case has not yet been assigned.