Imo Governor Uzodimma to Appeal Court Ruling Declaring Former Governor Okorocha APC Candidate for 2027 Senate Race

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma announced on 2 November 2026 that his administration will appeal a Federal High Court judgment which recognised former governor Rochas Okorocha as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Imo West senatorial district in the 2027 general elections. The governor’s chief press secretary, Oguike Nwachuku, described the ruling as a “travesty of justice” and expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn it.

The court decision came after Okorocha appeared on Arise News’ Prime Time programme, asserting that he remains the dominant figure within the Imo State APC and that the party’s structure is effectively his. Okorocha also alleged that Uzodimma’s camp used documents containing irregularities to secure the party’s senatorial ticket.

Background

The dispute centres on the APC primary for the Imo West senatorial seat. According to Nwachuku, a direct primary was conducted after Okorocha rejected the consensus arrangements used in the Imo East and Imo North districts, which produced Prince Alex Mbata and Senator Patrick Ndubueze respectively. The Imo West primary was held across all twelve local government areas, with INEC officials and the APC National Assembly Primary Election Committee, chaired by retired Rear Admiral Williams Kayoda, supervising the process.

Uzodimma’s camp claims the governor won the primary overwhelmingly, tallying 230,464 votes to Okorocha’s 1,098. The spokesperson further argued that party rules recognise sitting governors as the leaders of the party in their states, thereby contesting Okorocha’s claim to control the Imo APC structure.

Okorocha, meanwhile, has maintained that the APC in Imo is “Rochas” and accused the governor of undermining the party by challenging the outcome. He also suggested that the documents used by Uzodimma’s team were irregular, though no specific evidence was presented in the sources.

Why it matters

The outcome of the appeal will determine which candidate represents the APC in Imo West for the 2027 elections, a seat that could influence the balance of power in the Senate and affect President Bola Tinubu’s re‑election prospects, according to the governor’s statements. The dispute also highlights internal party tensions within the APC, pitting a sitting governor against a former governor who remains a prominent political figure in the state.

Stakeholders, including INEC and the APC primary committee, have been cited as overseeing the primary, suggesting that procedural legitimacy is a key point of contention. The large vote margin reported by Uzodimma’s camp, if upheld, would reinforce his claim to the party’s endorsement, while Okorocha’s legal victory at the Federal High Court, albeit temporary, underscores the potential for judicial intervention in party affairs.

What happens next

Uzodimma’s team has indicated that an appeal will be filed with the Court of Appeal, though no specific filing date was disclosed. The appeal process will determine whether the high court’s recognition of Okorocha as the APC candidate stands or is reversed. Both parties have signalled readiness to continue legal and political battles ahead of the 2027 general elections.