A Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja has ruled in favour of former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, in a battle over the All Progressives Congress ticket for the Imo West Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to replace the name of incumbent Governor Hope Uzodinma with Okorocha’s as the bonafide candidate of the ruling APC patty for the senatorial district.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu handed down the directive on Thursday after finding that Uzodinma did not emerge victorious in the party’s primary election held on May 18.
The judge ruled that the evidence before the court showed that Okorocha obtained the highest number of votes in the primary, making him the rightful winner of the exercise.
The Federal high court directed the APC to forward Okorocha’s name to INEC as its candidate for the Imo West seat in the 2027 elections.
The decision settles the immediate dispute over who should represent the APC in the contest, with the court’s order requiring the electoral commission to update its candidate records accordingly.
INEC has fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, including the senatorial poll in which the party’s candidate will contest for the Imo West seat.
