A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has delivered a landmark judgment in the intra-party dispute within the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, as the party’s valid candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately remove the name of the incumbent Governor, Hope Uzodinma, from its records and recognize Okorocha as the official candidate.
Primary Election Results Upheld
The court’s decision follows a legal challenge regarding the outcome of the APC senatorial primary election held on May 18.
Justice Egwuatu held that documentary evidence brought before the court conclusively proved that Okorocha secured the highest number of valid votes cast during the exercise, making him the undisputed winner of the ticket.
Consequently, the court issued the following directives:
For the APC: To immediately forward Okorocha’s name to the electoral body as its legitimate candidate for the district.
For INEC: To update its official records and publish Okorocha’s name for the Imo West senatorial contest.
Restraining Order: A directive restraining Governor Uzodinma from continuing to parade himself as the party’s candidate for the seat.
Road to the 2027 Polls
The judgment resolves the immediate leadership contest for the Imo West ticket within the ruling party as political actors align ahead of the next electoral cycle.
According to the official timetable released by INEC, the Presidential and National Assembly elections—which include the Imo West Senatorial District poll—are scheduled to hold on January 16, 2027.
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