…Party says legal department will review judgment ordering APC to replace governor with Okorocha
IMO, Nigeria — The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State has insisted that Governor Hope Uzodimma remains its candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, despite a Federal High Court ruling ordering his replacement with former governor Rochas Okorocha.
The party described reports of Uzodimma’s removal as unverified, even as it acknowledged that a legal intervention had been made in the dispute over its senatorial ticket.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Imo APC State Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, said Uzodimma emerged victorious in the party’s senatorial primary with overwhelming support from members.
The party’s position followed a ruling by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja directing Uzodimma to stop presenting himself as the APC’s candidate for Imo West and ordering the party to field Okorocha for the January 16, 2027 senatorial election.
However, the Imo APC maintained that the governor remained its duly nominated candidate pending its consideration of the legal implications of the court’s intervention.
“The All Progressives Congress is aware of some unverified reports making the rounds across many social media platforms and being circulated by renowned opposition figures about a purported change in the candidacy of our Party for Imo West Senatorial District,” the statement said.
It added: “The party wishes to state without any confusion that His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, remains the candidate of our Party for Imo West Senatorial District, having won the primaries of our great party with the overwhelming support of the majority of our party members.”
APC legal team to review ruling
The party said its legal department would examine the court’s decision and determine the appropriate course of action.
“The party’s legal department shall study the outcome of a legal intervention in this matter and act accordingly,” Jones said.
The APC also urged its members and supporters to remain focused on the party’s electoral preparations across Imo State.
The statement did not indicate whether the party had filed an appeal against the ruling.
Court ruling sets up fresh battle over Imo West ticket
The dispute places the APC’s Imo West senatorial ticket at the centre of a legal and political contest involving two former governors of the state.
Uzodimma, the incumbent governor, secured the party’s nomination for the Senate seat, while Okorocha, who previously governed Imo State, has now been named as the candidate in the court’s ruling.
The disagreement raises questions about the implementation of the judgment and the legal steps available to the party and the affected politicians.
Although the Imo APC has publicly reaffirmed Uzodimma’s candidacy, its statement that the legal department will review the ruling suggests that the party’s next steps remain to be determined.
The development comes as political parties prepare for the 2027 elections, with disputes over nominations and candidate eligibility increasingly becoming matters for judicial determination.
The central issue is whether the APC will comply with the ruling, challenge it through the courts or pursue other legally available options before the electoral process advances further.
