Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has declared that nobody can take the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket for Imo West away from him, despite a Federal High Court judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise former governor Rochas Okorocha as the party’s candidate.
Uzodimma’s declaration signals his determination to sustain his senatorial ambition despite the mounting legal battle over who legitimately won the APC primary for the Imo West Senatorial District.
The governor spoke on Sunday after attending Mass at the Government House Chapel in Owerri, where he urged residents to support the APC and its candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Dismissing suggestions that Okorocha could take over the ticket, Uzodimma insisted that he remained the party’s preferred candidate.
“If they tell you that I will hold this ticket and somebody will collect it and give it to another, tell the person it is a lie,” he declared.
He also urged his supporters to campaign exclusively for the APC, ruling out any political alliance with other parties.
The governor proceeded to name the candidates he expects the electorate to support across the three senatorial districts.
He identified Patrick Ndubueze for Okigwe, himself for Imo West (Orlu), and Alex Mbata for Imo East (Owerri).
However, Uzodimma’s confidence comes against the backdrop of a significant legal setback.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered INEC to remove Uzodimma’s name as the APC senatorial candidate for Imo West and replace it with that of Okorocha.
The court held that Okorocha secured the majority of votes during the APC senatorial primary conducted on May 18, faulting INEC for recognising Uzodimma despite documentary evidence presented before it.
Okorocha had approached the court in August to challenge INEC’s recognition of the incumbent governor as the party’s candidate.
Reacting to the judgment, the former governor described the decision as a victory for the people of Imo West, while commending the judiciary.
He also declared that the ruling demonstrated that justice could prevail regardless of financial or political influence.
The dispute has now placed Uzodimma’s senatorial ambition under intense scrutiny, with his latest declaration raising further questions about how the conflicting political claims will be resolved.
For now, the battle over the APC’s Imo West ticket remains far from settled, as Uzodimma insists nobody can take it from him while Okorocha relies on the Federal High Court judgment in his favour.