APC Senatorial Ticket: Imo Govt Vows To Appeal Okorocha’s Victory

The Imo State Government has rejected a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja that declared former governor, Rochas Okorocha, the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary for Imo West Senatorial District.

The state Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, said on Thursday that the ruling was “a complete travesty of justice,” adding that it would be challenged at the Court of Appeal.

Justice Egwuatu had, on Thursday, ordered Governor Hope Uzodimma to stop parading himself as the APC candidate for the Imo West senatorial election scheduled for January 16, 2027.

The judge held that the governor did not win the May 18 primary the party conducted and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored.

He ruled that the evidence showed Okorocha polled the majority of votes and should be declared the winner, and ordered the APC to submit his name to INEC as its candidate.

Emelumba, however, accused the trial judge of disregarding Supreme Court precedents in arriving at the judgment.

He said the court was presented with apex court decisions holding that an originating summons could not determine allegations of forgery and perjury.

“But for unfathomable reasons, he chose to defy the authority of the Supreme Court to deliver judgment in favour of Okorocha based on affidavit evidence founded on forged documents,” the commissioner said.

The commissioner further argued that the suit was statute-barred, citing the Supreme Court decision in Orji v. Chima, which requires anyone seeking to be declared winner of a primary to file their case within 14 days.

He noted that while the primary was held on May 18, 2026, Okorocha filed his suit on August 13, 2026, 87 days later.

He said the judge nonetheless dismissed the preliminary objection, even though he found the only issue for determination was who won the primary.

Emelumba said the state government would pursue all legal options to overturn the judgment.

“As law-abiding citizens, we would explore the judicial avenues available to set aside the Federal High Court ruling and recover our mandate,” he said.