Former Imo State Governor and ex-Senator, Rochas Okorocha, has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the commission’s publication of Governor Hope Uzodimma as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 election.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026, also lists Uzodimma and the APC as respondents.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the originating summons was filed on August 13, 2026, by Okorocha’s counsel, O.J. Aboje.
Okorocha, who served as Imo governor between 2011 and 2019 and represented Imo West in the Senate from 2019 to 2023, is challenging the outcome of the APC senatorial primary conducted in May.
The former governor claimed that he won the primary, alleging that he secured 150,780 votes, against 102,158 votes recorded by Uzodimma.
However, Williams Kayode, chairman and returning officer of the 2026 Imo APC National Assembly Primary Election Committee, had declared Uzodimma winner with 230,464 votes.
READ ALSO; Rochas Okorocha, Nwosu, others to lose properties in Imo
In the suit, Okorocha asked the court to determine whether INEC was bound by the reports submitted by its officials who monitored the APC primary conducted on May 18 for the nomination of the party’s candidate for Imo West.
He is also challenging the legality of Uzodimma’s candidacy on constitutional grounds.
Okorocha cited Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that a governor shall not, while in office, hold another executive office or paid employment in any capacity.
The former governor argued that Uzodimma’s tenure would still be running when the 11th Senate is inaugurated in June 2027.
Uzodimma began his second term as governor in January 2024, meaning his current tenure is expected to end in January 2028.
The timing has generated questions over whether he would be required to resign as governor if elected to the Senate in 2027.
Okorocha is asking the court to declare unconstitutional INEC’s publication of Uzodimma as the APC candidate, arguing that the governor did not emerge as the winner of the party’s primary.
He also wants the court to set aside or void INEC’s publication identifying Uzodimma as the aspirant with the highest number of votes.
The former governor further asked the court to direct INEC to recognise and publish his name as the APC’s duly nominated candidate for the senatorial election.
He also wants an order restraining Uzodimma, the APC or any person acting on their behalf from presenting or parading the governor as the party’s candidate for the election.
The affidavit supporting the suit was deposed to by Amen Rochas, son of the former governor.
In the affidavit, he alleged that Uzodimma purchased the APC nomination form for the senatorial contest despite the fact that his tenure as governor would extend beyond the inauguration of the next Senate.