The Imo State Government has rejected the Federal High Court judgment declaring former governor Rochas Okorocha the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for Imo West Senatorial District.
It asserted that the decision will be challenged at the Court of Appeal.
Declan Emelumba, the Imo State Commissioner for Information, described the judgment as “a complete travesty of justice” and accused the trial judge of disregarding established legal principles in arriving at the decision.
“The judgment of a Federal High Court declaring Rochas Okorocha winner of the APC primaries is a complete travesty of justice, and the Court of Appeal will be approached to reverse it,” he said in a statement.
Emelumba argued that the judgment contradicted existing Supreme Court decisions on election-related disputes, particularly those involving allegations of forgery and perjury.
He said the judge had been presented with Supreme Court judgments establishing that cases involving forgery and perjury could not be determined through an originating summons.
“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 also faulted the court’s decision to dismiss the preliminary objection challenging the suit on the grounds of the time within which it was filed.
According to him, the Supreme Court ruling in Orji v Chima requires a litigant seeking to be declared the winner of a party primary to file the case within 14 days of the election.
Emelumba said the APC primary for Imo West Senatorial District was held on May 18, 2026, while Okorocha filed his suit on August 13, 2026, 87 days later.
He maintained that the court should have considered the time limitation before proceeding with the case.
“As law-abiding citizens, we would explore the judicial avenues available to set aside the Federal High Court ruling and recover our mandate,” he added.
Justice Egwuatu of the Federal High Court on Thursday ordered Governor Hope Uzodimma to stop presenting himself as the APC candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the January 16, 2027 election.
Politics Nigeria reports that the judge held that Uzodimma did not win the party’s May 18, 2026 primary, which was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The court ruled that the evidence before it showed that Okorocha secured the majority of votes cast during the primary and should be recognised as the winner.
Justice Egwuatu subsequently directed the APC to submit Okorocha’s name to INEC as its candidate for the 2027 Imo West senatorial election.
However, the APC in Imo State has maintained that Uzodimma remains its candidate for the district despite the judgment.
In a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, the party said Uzodimma secured the ticket through its primary election and would remain its candidate pending further action.
“The party wishes to state without any confusion that His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, remains the candidate of our Party for Imo West Senatorial District, having won the primaries of our great party with the overwhelming support of the majority of our party members,” the statement said.
It added that its legal department would examine the judgment and determine the appropriate steps to take.
“The party’s legal department shall study the outcome of a legal intervention in this matter and act accordingly,” it stated.
Meanwhile, Okorocha welcomed the judgment, saying it demonstrated that justice had prevailed.
Speaking after the ruling on Thursday, the former governor accused unnamed individuals of manipulating election results in the past to favour candidates who did not win.
“Justice has finally prevailed. This was the same thing that happened when one person wrote more than 300 results, causing someone who came fourth to become number one,” Okorocha said.
He commended the judiciary for its decision and claimed that the Presidency was tired of impunity.
Okorocha also urged his supporters in Imo West to remain calm while celebrating the court victory.
