The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the nomination of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District election, declaring former governor Rochas Okorocha the lawful winner of the party's disputed primary and ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered the judgment on Thursday, October 29, 2026, ruling that Uzodimma did not win the APC primary conducted on May 18, 2026. The court directed the party to submit Okorocha's name to INEC and ordered the electoral commission to replace Uzodimma's name with that of the former governor ahead of the senatorial election scheduled for January 16, 2027.
The judge also restrained Uzodimma from presenting himself as the APC candidate for the constituency, holding that evidence before the court established that Okorocha secured the majority of valid votes during the primary monitored by INEC.
The judgment represents a significant development in the political rivalry between the two former allies, whose disagreements have shaped Imo State politics for several years. It also raises questions about the handling of party primaries and the responsibility of electoral authorities to verify disputed nomination records.
In his decision, Justice Egwuatu held that Uzodimma's nomination violated Sections 29 and 32 of the Electoral Act and failed to comply with the APC's guidelines governing the conduct of primary elections.
The court found that the party's submission of Uzodimma's name as its candidate was unlawful because the governor had not emerged as the legitimate winner of the nomination exercise.
Justice Egwuatu consequently set aside INEC's publication of Uzodimma's name on August 1 and directed the commission to restore Okorocha's name as the party's candidate.
The judge also criticised inconsistencies in documents submitted by the APC to support Uzodimma's nomination. He concluded that several documents contradicted one another and questioned their authenticity.
The findings followed a legal challenge instituted by Okorocha in August under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026, naming INEC, the APC and Uzodimma as respondents.
Okorocha argued that the electoral commission had disregarded the outcome of the primary election monitored by its officials and wrongly published Uzodimma as the party's candidate.
He sought declarations establishing his victory, nullifying the disputed nomination and preventing the incumbent governor from continuing to claim the APC senatorial ticket.
According to evidence presented on Okorocha's behalf, the former governor received 150,780 votes during the primary, while Uzodimma obtained 102,158 votes.
The figures were contained in an affidavit submitted by Okorocha's son, Amen Rochas, who identified himself as his father's personal assistant on political matters.
The affidavit maintained that the primary had been conducted through the party's direct nomination process and that relevant documentation was forwarded to INEC.
However, the APC and Uzodimma presented a sharply different account of the election.
Their submissions maintained that the governor secured 230,464 votes, compared with 1,098 votes attributed to Okorocha. They insisted that the primary was properly conducted and that the results were collated and transmitted through the appropriate party structures.
Lucky Ajokperiniovo, who submitted an affidavit supporting Uzodimma, said he participated in the committee responsible for conducting the primary.
He maintained that voting records were compiled from ward and local government collation centres before being delivered to the senatorial returning officer.
The respondents also argued that Okorocha's lawsuit should be dismissed because it was filed outside the constitutional time limit for challenging events arising from party primaries.
Lawyers representing the APC and Uzodimma relied on Section 285(9) of the Constitution, which establishes a 14-day period for instituting pre-election proceedings from the relevant triggering event.
INEC also opposed Okorocha's claims. The electoral commission maintained that its officials monitored the primary and submitted reports indicating that Uzodimma received the highest number of votes.
The commission further stated that it had not received complaints from aspirants concerning the outcome. One of its legal officers also disputed the authenticity of documents presented by Okorocha.
These conflicting submissions formed part of the evidence considered by the court before it ruled in favour of the former governor.
The judgment does not mean that the political dispute has necessarily reached its final legal conclusion. Uzodimma and the other respondents retain the right to challenge the decision through the appellate process.
No final appellate ruling overturning or affirming Thursday's judgment had been established in the reports available at publication.
Okorocha's lawyer, O. J. Aboje, welcomed the decision after proceedings, expressing satisfaction with the court's recognition of his client's claim to the senatorial nomination.
The ruling also has implications for Uzodimma's political future. The governor is currently serving his second term in office, which began in January 2024 and is expected to expire in January 2028.
The next Senate is scheduled to commence its legislative term in June 2027, creating a potential overlap between the governor's present mandate and the senatorial office he had sought.
Section 183 of Nigeria's Constitution restricts a serving governor from holding another executive office or paid employment during the period of governorship.
Okorocha raised constitutional questions concerning Uzodimma's eligibility as part of his lawsuit, although the central finding reported from Thursday's judgment concerned the disputed primary election result.
Okorocha previously governed Imo State from 2011 to 2019 and subsequently represented Imo West in the Senate between 2019 and 2023.
His attempt to return to the National Assembly has brought him into renewed political competition with Uzodimma, who became governor in January 2020 following a Supreme Court judgment concerning the 2019 governorship election.
Their rivalry has involved disagreements over political influence, party leadership and the direction of the APC in Imo State.
The latest judgment places renewed attention on internal party democracy and the credibility of nomination procedures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Political parties are responsible for conducting primaries in accordance with applicable laws and their established guidelines, while INEC has statutory responsibilities relating to monitoring and publishing candidate information.
Disputes over nomination outcomes can affect election preparations, candidate recognition and public confidence in political institutions.
For the APC, the immediate issue concerns compliance with the Federal High Court's orders and whether the party or affected respondents will pursue an appeal.
For INEC, the judgment requires the replacement of Uzodimma's published name with Okorocha's, subject to any subsequent lawful appellate intervention.
The decision does not determine the outcome of the January 2027 senatorial election. It concerns who is entitled to contest that election as the APC's candidate.
For now, Justice Egwuatu's ruling recognises Okorocha as the lawful winner of the disputed primary and bars Uzodimma from presenting himself as the party's nominee.
The development marks another significant chapter in the contest for political influence in Imo State, with the possibility of further legal proceedings before voters elect their next senator.
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