Mixed Reactions In Imo As Court Sacks Uzodinma For Orlu Zone APC Candidate -

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Mixed Reactions In Imo As Court Sacks Uzodinma For Orlu Zone APC Candidate

Slight tension resulting to mix reactions has gripped Imo State as the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State to stop presenting himself as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District election scheduled for January 16, 2027.

The order was given by Justice Obiora Egwuatu after ruling that Uzodinma did not win the APC senatorial primary held on May 18, 2026, and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Delivering judgment, the judge held that evidence presented before the court showed that former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, won the majority of votes cast during the primary election.

Trumpeta who monitored the report online learnt that the court consequently ordered the APC to submit Okorocha’s name to INEC as its candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District election in the 2027 general elections.

It would be recalled that in August this year, Okorocha filed a suit against INEC over the commission’s publication of Uzodinma’s name as the APC candidate for the senatorial district.APC party merchandise

Other respondents in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026, were Uzodinma and the APC.

Counsel to Okorocha, filed the originating summons at the Federal High Court in Abuja on August 13, 2026.Nigeria news updates

Okorocha served as governor of Imo State from 2011 to 2019 and represented the state in the Senate from 2019 to 2023.

He contested the APC senatorial ticket against Uzodinma in May.

Williams Kayode, chairman and returning officer of the 2026 Imo APC National Assembly Primary Election Committee, had declared Uzodinma the winner of the contest with 230,464 votes.APC party merchandise

However, Okorocha challenged the outcome, alleging that he won the primary with 150,780 votes, while Uzodinma scored 102,158 votes.

The former governor asked the court to determine whether INEC was bound by the reports of its officials who monitored the APC primary conducted on May 18.

He also sought a determination of whether INEC acted wrongly by publishing Uzodinma’s name as the winner of the primary, citing Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution.

The provision states that a governor cannot hold another executive office or engage in paid employment while in office.

Okorocha argued that it was unconstitutional for INEC to publish Uzodinma’s name as the APC candidate when, according to him, the governor did not win the primary election.APC party merchandise

He asked the court to nullify INEC’s publication of Uzodinma’s name and direct the commission to recognise and publish him as the party’s duly nominated candidate.

The former governor also sought an order restraining Uzodinma, the APC or any other person acting on their behalf from presenting the governor as the party’s candidate for the election.APC party merchandise

In an affidavit attached to the suit, Amen Rochas, Okorocha’s son, alleged that Uzodinma purchased the nomination forms for the senatorial ticket despite his tenure as governor extending beyond the inauguration of the 11th Senate in June 2027.

Uzodinma began his second term as governor in January 2024, with his tenure expected to end in January 2028.

However, mixed reactions have been trailing the judgement with the camp of Uzodimma and APC starting that there is no cause for alarm adding that the state governor remains the candidate since an appeal against the judgement will follow.

Spokesman for APC Imo State, Jones Onyeriri in a statement immediately after the judgement states that Uzodimma remains the party’s candidate.

The statement reads;

The All Progressives Congress is aware of some unverified reports making the rounds across many social media platforms and being circulated by renowned opposition figures about a purported change in the candidacy of our Party for Imo West Senatorial District.

The Party wishes to state without any confusion that His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, remains the candidate of our Party for Imo West Senatorial District, having won the primaries of our great Party with the overwhelming support of the majority of our Party members.

The Party’s legal department shall study the outcome of a legal intervention in this matter and act accordingly.

We urge our teeming Party members and supporters of our great Party to remain focused and undistracted and remain committed to working assiduously for the victory of our Party across all constituencies in the State.