Imo State’s All Progressives Congress reaffirmed Gov. Hope Uzodimma as its Imo West Senate nominee after a court ordered the party to submit former governor Rochas Okorocha’s name for the seat.
TheCable and Premium Times reported that Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered the Abuja Federal High Court ruling Oct. 29 and found Okorocha won the APC primary on May 18, 2026. The court directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish Okorocha’s name after ordering the APC to submit it. It also told Uzodimma to stop identifying himself as the party’s candidate.
Reported vote totals differ sharply. PUNCH cited an INEC-recognized result that gave Uzodimma 230,464 votes and Okorocha 1,098. Premium Times described an affidavit in Okorocha’s case that alleged a different outcome: 150,780 votes for Okorocha and 102,158 for Uzodimma. Taken together, the reports present opposing accounts of who won the same primary.
Premium Times reported that Okorocha filed suit Aug. 13, challenging the commission’s recognition of Uzodimma as the party’s nominee. The case also raised whether a sitting governor could seek another office before his term ended; reports did not establish that the court decided that constitutional question. Okorocha served as Imo governor from 2011 to 2019 and represented Imo West in the Senate from 2019 to 2023, the outlet reported.
The APC’s position appeared in a statement quoted by PUNCH and Premium Times. The statement said the Imo chapter considered Uzodimma the primary winner and cited support from party members. It also said the party’s legal team would review the judgment before deciding how to respond. Premium Times characterized the party as intending to appeal, but the quoted statement did not announce an appeal. The reports identified no next court date.
