Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Hope Uzodimma and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to court over the 2027 Imo West Senatorial ticket.
Okorocha is challenging INEC’s decision to publish Uzodimma as the APC candidate for the senatorial district.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026, was filed on August 13 at the Federal High Court in Abuja by Okorocha’s counsel, O.J. Aboje.
Okorocha served as Imo State governor from 2011 to 2019 and later represented Imo West in the Senate between 2019 and 2023.
He contested the APC senatorial primary with Uzodimma in May and is challenging the outcome declared by the party.
According to the court documents, Williams Kayode, chairman and returning officer of the APC National Assembly Primary Election Committee, declared Uzodimma winner with 230,464 votes.
However, Okorocha is asking the court to determine whether INEC was right to recognise and publish Uzodimma’s name as the party’s candidate.
He also cited **Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution**, which provides that a serving governor shall not hold another executive office or paid employment while in office.
Uzodimma began his second term as Imo governor in January 2024, meaning his tenure is expected to end in January 2028.
The next Senate is expected to be inaugurated in June 2027, several months before the end of Uzodimma’s tenure.
Okorocha is therefore asking the court to declare INEC’s publication of Uzodimma’s name unconstitutional and set it aside.
He is also asking the court to direct INEC to recognise and publish his name as the duly nominated APC candidate for the Imo West senatorial election.
The former governor further wants the court to restrain Uzodimma, the APC or anyone acting on his behalf from presenting him as the party’s candidate.
In an affidavit attached to the suit, Amen Rochas, Okorocha’s son, alleged that his father won the APC direct primary held on May 18 with **150,780 votes**, while Uzodimma scored **102,158 votes**.
The suit is now expected to determine the legality of Uzodimma’s candidacy and the outcome of the APC primary as the 2027 elections approach.
Rochas Okorocha
