INEC Seeks Probe of Disputed Imo West Primary Document

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission has asked security agencies to investigate a circulating document that names Rochas Okorocha as the winner of the All Progressives Congress primary for Imo West, saying the commission’s report names incumbent Governor Hope Uzodimma instead. In letters dated October 5 and October 8, Imo Resident Electoral Commissioner Chukwuemeka Ibeziako asked the State Security Service and the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the document’s origin and circulation. INEC said it provided the agencies with the report it considers authentic, alongside the disputed document, for comparison. The commission says its report of the May 18, 2026, primary identifies Uzodimma as the party’s duly elected candidate for the senatorial district ahead of the 2027 general election. It described the document naming Okorocha as fictitious and warned that its circulation could heighten political tension and threaten public order in Imo State. The letters do not establish who created or circulated the disputed document. The dispute is also before the Federal High Court in Abuja.