Former Imo State Governor and Senator, Rochas Okorocha, has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the publication of Gov. Hope Uzodinma as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District election scheduled for 2027.
Okorocha filed the suit through his lawyer, O.J. Aboje, joining Uzodinma and the APC as respondents.
The originating summons, filed on Aug. 13, is marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026.
In the suit, Okorocha, who served as governor of Imo for two terms, asked the Federal High Court to determine five questions concerning the APC primary election for the senatorial district.
He wants the court to determine whether INEC is bound by reports submitted by its officials who monitored the APC primary allegedly held on May 18, in which he claimed to have emerged as the winner.
Okorocha also asked the court to determine whether, in view of Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), INEC was wrong to publish Uzodinma’s name on Aug. 1 as the winner of the APC primary for the Imo West Senatorial District.
Should the court rule in his favour, Okorocha is seeking 10 reliefs.
Among other demands, he wants the court to declare the publication of Uzodinma’s name as APC’s candidate unconstitutional, arguing that the governor did not emerge as the winner of the May 18 primary.
He is also seeking an order setting aside the Aug. 1 publication in which INEC declared Uzodinma the winner of the APC primary for the 2027 Imo West senatorial election.
Okorocha further wants the court to direct INEC to recognize and publish his name as the duly nominated APC candidate for the election.
He is also seeking an order restraining Uzodinma, whether acting personally or through the APC or any other person, from presenting himself as the party’s nominated candidate for the election.
The former governor is equally asking the court to award costs against the respondents as it may deem appropriate.
In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Amen Rochas, who described Okorocha as his biological father, said he was familiar with the circumstances of the case by virtue of his position as Okorocha’s Personal Assistant on Political Matters.
He stated that Okorocha, born on Sept. 22, 1962, is a registered, card-carrying member of the APC.
Amen also stated that Uzodinma’s tenure as Imo governor would expire at midnight on Jan. 14, 2028, having been sworn into office on Jan. 15, 2024.
He argued that Uzodinma’s tenure would still be ongoing when the Senate is inaugurated after the 2027 general election.
According to him, the governor nonetheless purchased an Expression of Interest (EoI) and nomination forms to contest for the party’s senatorial ticket.
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He said the APC National Working Committee (NWC) directed that the results of the primary be forwarded to the party’s national secretariat for announcement.
Amen alleged that the APC direct primary was conducted on May 18, with his father emerging as the winner with 150,780 votes, while Uzodinma scored 102,158 votes.
The suit is seeking judicial determination of the dispute over who should represent the APC in the 2027 Imo West Senatorial District election.
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