*Orders INEC to recognise and upload Okorocha

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the name of former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Imo-West Senatorial Zone in the 2027 general elections.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu also ordered the incumbent governor, Hope Uzodimma, to immediately stop parading himself as the APC candidate for the Imo West Senatorial election scheduled for January 16, 2027.

The judge issued the orders while delivering judgment in a suit filed by Okorocha challenging Uzodimma’s recognition as the party’s candidate.

Justice Egwuatu held that the evidence presented before the court established that Okorocha won the majority of votes cast during the APC primary election conducted on May 18, 2026, and monitored by INEC.

The judge consequently directed the APC to forward Okorocha’s name to INEC as its candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District election in the 2027 general elections.

Justice Egwuatu maintained that Uzodimma did not win the primary election, ruling that the evidence before the court supported Okorocha’s claim to victory and that he should be declared the winner of the poll.

The dispute followed conflicting claims over the outcome of the party’s primary, with INEC’s official results recognising Uzodimma as the winner with 230,464 votes, against Okorocha’s 1,098 votes.

Dissatisfied with the outcome, Okorocha filed suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1854/2026, challenging INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma and raising issues concerning the governor’s eligibility to contest the senatorial election while still in office.

In its judgment, the court directed the electoral commission to publish Okorocha’s name as the APC candidate and ordered the party to submit his name accordingly, while restraining Uzodimma from continuing to present himself as the party’s candidate for the January 16, 2027 election.