Court orders INEC to recognise Okorocha for Imo West

The Federal High Court in Abuja ruled on October 29 that Rochas Okorocha, not Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, won the All Progressives Congress primary for the Imo West Senate seat and ordered election officials to recognise Okorocha as the party’s candidate for the 2027 election. Justice Obiora Egwuatu directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to publish Okorocha’s name as the party’s nominee for the election scheduled for January 16, 2027. The court also restrained Uzodimma from presenting himself as the APC candidate for the district, also known as Orlu Senatorial District. The ruling concerns the party primary held on May 18, 2026. Okorocha, a former Imo governor and senator for the district, challenged INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma after the commission identified the governor as the primary’s winner. The court concluded that the evidence before it established Okorocha as the valid winner. Accounts of the vote totals differed sharply in court filings described in the case coverage. Amen Rochas, Okorocha’s son and political affairs aide, alleged in an affidavit supporting the suit that Okorocha received 150,780 votes and Uzodimma 102,158. Lucky...