By Our Reporter, With Agency Reports
THE FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has nullified the nomination of Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District election in the 2027 general elections.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a judgement delivered on Thursday, ordered Uzodinma to stop parading himself as the party’s candidate, holding that he did not win the APC primary election conducted on May 18 and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The court held that evidence before it established that former Imo Governor Rochas Okorocha secured the majority of votes cast at the primary and consequently ordered that Okorocha be declared the winner.
The court ordered the APC to forward Okorocha’s name to INEC as its candidate for the 2027 Imo West senatorial election.
Okorocha had filed the suit against INEC, the APC and Uzodinma, challenging the publication of Uzodinma’s name as the party’s candidate for the senatorial district.
In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026 and filed on August 13, Okorocha asked the court to determine whether INEC was bound by the reports of its officials who monitored the May 18 APC primary and whether the publication of Uzodinma’s name as the winner was lawful.
He also sought an order setting aside INEC’s publication of Uzodinma’s name and directing the commission to recognise and publish his name as the APC’s duly nominated candidate.
Okorocha further asked the court to restrain Uzodinma, whether acting personally or through the APC or any other person, from presenting himself as the party’s candidate for the election.
In his affidavit, Amen Rochas, who identified himself as Okorocha’s Personal Assistant on Political Matters and his biological son, said his father had expressed interest in contesting the senatorial election and obtained the required expression-of-interest and nomination forms.
Amen alleged that the May 18 primary was won by Okorocha, who he said scored 150,780 votes against Uzodinma’s 102,158 votes.
He added that APC subsequently forwarded reports on the conduct and outcome of the primary to INEC.
However, Uzodinma and the APC disputed Okorocha’s account and urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that it was statute-barred because it was filed outside the 14-day period prescribed by law.
In a counter-affidavit filed on Uzodinma’s behalf, Lucky Ajokperiniovo, who said he was a member of the committee that conducted the primary, stated that Uzodinma won the election with 230,464 votes, while Okorocha scored 1,098 votes.
Ajokperiniovo said the votes were recorded, collated and transmitted from the wards through the local government collation centres before the final results were collated and declared by the senatorial district returning officer.
He also said the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the APC Constitution, its guidelines and the Electoral Act, 2026, adding that no petition was received by the appeal committee set up after the primary.
INEC also opposed Okorocha’s suit. Its counter-affidavit stated that its officials monitored the primary and submitted a report indicating that Uzodinma scored the highest number of votes and was declared winner.
The commission further said it did not receive any complaint from the aspirants over the conduct or outcome of the primary.
Despite the objections by Uzodinma, APC and INEC, Justice Egwuatu ruled in favour of Okorocha and ordered the APC to forward his name to INEC as its candidate for the 2027 Imo West Senatorial District election.
