Okorocha Reacts To Court Order Sacking Uzodimma As APC Candidate
Former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has hailed the Federal High Court judgment declaring him the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.
His reaction came after the court, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu in Abuja, ordered Governor Hope Uzodimma to stop presenting himself as the party’s candidate for the senatorial district.
The court also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish Okorocha’s name as the party’s candidate.
Speaking after the judgment on Thursday, Okorocha expressed appreciation to the judiciary, alleging that the circumstances surrounding the senatorial primary reflected electoral irregularities.
“Justice has finally prevailed. This was the same thing that happened when one person wrote more than 300 results, causing someone who came fourth to become number one.
“I appreciate the Nigerian judiciary, and it is evident that the Presidency is tired of this nonsense,” Okorocha stated.
The former governor commended the judiciary for what he described as its commitment to justice. He also urged his supporters in Imo West to remain calm and celebrate the outcome of the case.
However, the APC in Imo State has rejected the reported judgment’s implications, insisting that Uzodimma remains its candidate for the senatorial district.
In a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, the party maintained that Uzodimma won its senatorial primary and secured the ticket with the support of party members.
“The party wishes to state without any confusion that His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, remains the candidate of our Party for Imo West Senatorial District, having won the primaries of our great party with the overwhelming support of the majority of our party members,” the statement said.
It added that its legal department would review the court’s decision before determining its next course of action.
“The party’s legal department shall study the outcome of a legal intervention in this matter and act accordingly,” it stated.
Politics Nigeria reports that the legal dispute followed a suit filed by Okorocha challenging Uzodimma’s recognition as the APC candidate for the 2027 Imo West senatorial election.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026, listed INEC, Uzodimma and the APC as respondents.
Okorocha challenged the outcome of the party’s May 18, 2026, senatorial primary, arguing that he won the contest and that recognising Uzodimma as the candidate was unlawful.
In an affidavit attached to the suit, Amen Rochas, the former governor’s son, alleged that Okorocha secured 150,780 votes, while Uzodimma polled 102,158 votes.
However, Williams Kayode, chairman and returning officer of the APC’s 2026 Imo National Assembly Primary Election Committee, had declared Uzodimma the winner with 230,464 votes, according to an earlier report.
Okorocha also challenged Uzodimma’s eligibility to contest the election while serving as governor, citing Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution, which restricts a sitting governor from holding another executive office or paid employment.
Uzodimma began his second term as governor in January 2024 and is expected to remain in office until January 2028. The next National Assembly is scheduled to be inaugurated in June 2027.
