A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and publish the name of the former governor of Imo State Rochas Okorocha as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Imo West Senatorial District in the election planned for January 16 2027.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu in a judgment on Thursday held among others that the evidence presented before his court showed that Okorocha actually won the majority of the votes cast at the primary election and should be recognised as the winner of the election.
Justice Egwuatu ordered the incumbent governor of Imo State Hope Uzodinma to immediately stop presenting himself as the APC candidate for the same seat.
The judge found that Uzodinma did not win the primary election for the senatorial seat conducted by the APC on May 18 and monitored by INEC.
He ordered the APC to forward Okorocha’s name to INEC as its candidate in the election slated for January 16 next year.