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| Governor Hope Uzodimma |
A Federal High Court in Abuja has barred Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma from presenting himself as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 elections, and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise former Governor Rochas Okorocha instead.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who delivered the judgment on Thursday, October 29, 2026, held that the evidence before the court showed that Uzodimma did not win the APC primary for the district.
The judge said Okorocha secured the majority of votes cast and should be declared the winner of the primary poll.
The suit:
In suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026, filed in August, Okorocha asked the court to determine whether INEC was bound by the reports of its officers who monitored the APC primary conducted on May 18 for the nomination of a candidate for Imo West Senatorial District.
Citing Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution, Okorocha also asked the court to determine whether INEC’s publication of Uzodimma’s name as the primary winner was lawful. The provision states: “The Governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever.”
The former governor asked the court to declare it unconstitutional for INEC to publish Uzodimma as APC’s candidate when he did not emerge as the primary winner.
The primary dispute
In May, Williams Kayode, chairman and returning officer of the 2026 Imo APC National Assembly primary election committee, declared Uzodimma the winner with 230,464 votes.
Uzodimma was sworn in for a second term as governor in January 2024, with his tenure due to end in January 2028. The 11th Senate will be inaugurated in June 2027, more than six months before the expiration of his governorship.
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