Court Disqualifies Uzodinma, Declares Okorocha APC Candidate for Imo West Senate Election

ABUJA — A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma to immediately stop parading himself as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the upcoming Imo West Senatorial district election.

The presiding judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, nullified Uzodinma’s candidacy after ruling that the governor was not the valid winner of the party’s primary election conducted on May 18, which was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Relying on documentary evidence presented by the plaintiff, the court held that former Governor Rochas Okorocha won the majority of lawful votes cast during the primary election.

Consequently, Justice Egwuatu declared Okorocha the rightful winner and ordered the APC to immediately forward his name to INEC as its official flagbearer for the senatorial contest slated for January 16, 2027.

This judicial upset marks the latest chapter in a long-standing political feud between Governor Hope Uzodinma and Senator Rochas Okorocha, two titans of Imo State politics and the Orlu zone (Imo West) senatorial ticket.

The relationship between the two leaders soured significantly following the 2019 gubernatorial election, where Uzodinma eventually secured the governorship, displacing Okorocha’s preferred successor.

Governor Uzodimma is set to appeal the judgement, and sources told KlickNews the process has already kickstarted.