The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 29, 2026, to deliver judgment in a suit by former Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha challenging the emergence of Governor Hope Uzodimma as the All Progressives Congress candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 election.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu fixed the date after the parties adopted their legal processes and argued the case. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026, was filed on August 13, with the Independent National Electoral Commission, APC and Uzodimma joined as respondents.
Okorocha is asking the court to set aside INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma as the APC candidate and direct the commission to recognise and publish his name as the party’s candidate. He is also seeking an order restraining Uzodimma from presenting himself as the APC candidate for the election.
The dispute centres on the APC’s May 18 senatorial primary. The result publicly declared by the party gave Uzodimma 230,464 votes against Okorocha’s 1,098 votes. However, Okorocha’s court filings contend that he won the primary with 150,780 votes against 102,158 recorded for Uzodimma. The competing figures are central to the case.
Okorocha has also challenged Uzodimma’s candidacy on constitutional grounds, relying on Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that a governor shall not, while holding office, hold another executive office or paid employment. Okorocha argues that Uzodimma will still be governor when the 2027 National Assembly election is held.
Uzodimma and APC have separately challenged the suit on procedural grounds, arguing that it was filed outside the 14-day period prescribed by Section 285(9) of the Constitution. The court is therefore expected to determine the preliminary objections as well as the substantive issues raised over the APC primary, Uzodimma’s nomination and the constitutional question surrounding his candidacy.
