APC Reacts As Court Sacks Uzodimma As Party Senatorial Candidate For Imo West

The Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has insisted that Governor Hope Uzodimma remains its valid candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 elections, despite a Federal High Court ruling declaring former governor Rochas Okorocha as the party’s candidate.

The party declared its position in an official press release signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya Jones, on Thursday, in direct response to the judgment delivered by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The court had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish Okorocha’s name as the authentic APC flagbearer for the senatorial district and issued an order barring Uzodimma from parading himself as the candidate for the January 16, 2027 poll.

However, the ruling party rejected the judicial outcome, asserting that Uzodimma won the primary election with the backing of the vast majority of party members.

“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 statement read.

The APC added that its legal team is currently analyzing the judgment to determine its next legal step.

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

The party further urged its members and grassroots supporters across Imo State to stay focused and committed toward securing electoral victories in all constituencies.

The legal tussle stems from the May 18, 2026 APC senatorial primary, where official INEC-monitored results recorded Uzodimma as winner with 230,464 votes, while Okorocha scored 1,098 votes.

Okorocha subsequently filed a lawsuit challenging the primary’s outcome and Uzodimma’s submission to INEC.

In its Thursday verdict, the court ruled that Okorocha was the actual victor of the primary exercise, ordering the APC to forward his name to INEC while highlighting discrepancies in the defense documents presented to justify Uzodimma’s nomination.