Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the order after holding that Uzodimma did not win the May 18 primary election conducted by the APC and monitored by INEC.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the name of Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, as the APC Senatorial candidate for Imo West and replace it with the name of former governor Rochas Okorocha.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the order after holding that Uzodimma did not win the May 18 primary election conducted by the APC and monitored by INEC.
However, feelers from Uzodimma’s camp suggest strongly that the governor will appeal the judgment ahead of the Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representatives elections scheduled for January 16, 2027
Justice Egwuatu held that evidence presented before the court proved that Okorocha actually won the majority of the votes cast at the poll and should be published as the winner of the election.
Egwuatu also ordered the APC to forward Okorocha’s name to INEC as candidate of the APC in the 2027 general elections for Imo West Senatorial election.
The court further restrained Uzodimma from parading himself as the APC senatorial candidate for the January 16, 2027 election, insisting that he did not win the party’s May 18, 2026 primary.
The judge held that the nomination of Uzodimma breached Sections 29 and 32 of the Electoral Act and failed to comply with the APC’s guidelines for conducting primary elections.
He consequently declared that it was unlawful and fraudulent for the party to have forwarded Uzodimma’s name to INEC as the winner of a primary election he did not win.
The judge held, “That the publication of Hope Uzodimma’s name by INEC as the winner of the primary election is wrongful and unlawful.”
He further ruled, “That the INEC publication of the name of Hope Uzodimma on August 1 as APC Senatorial candidate for Imo West is hereby set aside and in its place, INEC is ordered to restore the name of Rochas Okorocha.”
Justice Egwuatu faulted INEC for accepting Uzodimma’s nomination despite what he described as overwhelming documentary evidence showing that the governor was not the lawful winner of the primary.
He declared, “Rochas Okorocha is the lawful winner and is entitled to have his name submitted to INEC.”
Imo government house sources gave strong hints that Uzodimma will appeal the judgment.
“The governor will be on the ballot for the January 16, 2027 election for Imo West senatorial district. That is the position of the law, the people and the party,” a source told our reporter.
It is not certain when the governor’s lawyers will file the appeal.
