APC Stands by Uzodimma as Imo West Candidate Despite Court Ruling

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State has reaffirmed that Governor Hope Uzodimma will remain its candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the upcoming 2027 elections. This statement comes despite a recent ruling from a Federal High Court that recognized former governor Rochas Okorocha as the party’s candidate.

The party made this announcement through a press release on Thursday, signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya Jones. The court, led by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish Okorocha’s name as the APC candidate. The ruling also directed Uzodimma to stop presenting himself as the party’s candidate for the election scheduled for January 16, 2027.

Despite the court’s decision, the APC insists that Uzodimma is still their candidate. The party claims he won the primary election with strong support from the majority of its members. The statement emphasized that Uzodimma remains the candidate due to his victory in the party primaries.

The APC also mentioned that its legal department will review the court’s judgment to decide on the next steps. They encouraged their members and supporters to stay focused on winning elections across the state.

This dispute stems from the APC senatorial primary held on May 18, 2026. In that primary, Uzodimma was declared the winner with a significant number of votes, while Okorocha received far fewer. Okorocha later challenged the results in court, claiming that he was the rightful candidate.

The court’s ruling stated that Okorocha was the legitimate winner of the primary and pointed out inconsistencies in the documents the APC submitted to support Uzodimma’s nomination.