Court orders INEC to replace Uzodinma with Okorocha as APC senatorial candidate
By Waliu Adetokun, Osogbo
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Imo West ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The court directed INEC to replace Uzodinma’s name with that of former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, after ruling that the latter won the APC senatorial primary election held on May 18.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Obiora Egwuatu held that the evidence before the court showed that Okorocha secured the majority of votes cast during the primary election, which was monitored by INEC.
The judge consequently ordered the APC to submit Okorocha’s name to INEC as its candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections.
The ruling follows a dispute over the outcome of the party’s primary election, with the court affirming that Uzodinma did not emerge as the winner of the exercise.
INEC has scheduled the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives elections for January 16, 2027.