2027: Okorocha Sues INEC Over Gov Uzodimma’s Imo West Candidacy
Former Governor of Imo State Senator Rochas Okorocha has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over the publication Governor Hope Uzodimma's name as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the Imo West Senatorial District election scheduled for 2027.
Former Governor of Imo State Senator Rochas Okorocha has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over the publication Governor Hope Uzodimma's name as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the Imo West Senatorial District election scheduled for 2027.
The applicant, who is also a two-term governor of Imo State, posed five questions for determination, even as he prayed the court for an order directing INEC to recognise and publish his name as the duly nominated candidate of the APC to contest the poll.
Okorocha also, asked the court to determine whether INEC was not bound by the reports of its officers who monitored the APC primary conducted on May 18 for the nomination of its candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election, in which he emerged the winner.
He also further asked the court to determine whether, having regard to the provisions of Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the publication of Uzodimma’s name by INEC, as the winner of the APC primary for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 poll was not wrong.
Okorocha then, sought 10 reliefs should the questions be answered in his favour.
He urged the court to declare that it was unconstitutional for INEC to publish, as it did on August 18, Uzodimma’s name as APC’s candidate when he was not the person who emerged as the winner of the primary election conducted on May 18, as well as an order setting aside or voiding the publication made by INEC on Aug. 1, which declared Uzodimma as the person who won the highest number of votes in the APC primary election held on May 18 to contest as the preferred candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in 2027.
Okorocha also, prayed the court for an order directing INEC to recognise and publish his name as the duly nominated candidate of the APC to contest the poll, as well as an order prohibiting Uzodimma, whether by himself, the APC or anyone, howsoever named, from parading himself as the nominated candidate of the party to contest the election.
He equally sought an order awarding costs against the respondents, as the court may deem appropriate in all the circumstances of the suit.
In an affidavit deposed to Amen Rochas and attached to the suit, he said Okorocha is his biological father, noting that, by virtue of his position as Okorocha’s Personal Assistant on Political Matters, he was very conversant with the facts and circumstances stated by him.
The applicant, who is also a two-term governor of Imo State, posed five questions for determination, even as he prayed the court for an order directing INEC to recognise and publish his name as the duly nominated candidate of the APC to contest the poll.
Okorocha also, asked the court to determine whether INEC was not bound by the reports of its officers who monitored the APC primary conducted on May 18 for the nomination of its candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election, in which he emerged the winner.
He also further asked the court to determine whether, having regard to the provisions of Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the publication of Uzodimma’s name by INEC, as the winner of the APC primary for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 poll was not wrong.
Okorocha then, sought 10 reliefs should the questions be answered in his favour.
He urged the court to declare that it was unconstitutional for INEC to publish, as it did on August 18, Uzodimma’s name as APC’s candidate when he was not the person who emerged as the winner of the primary election conducted on May 18, as well as an order setting aside or voiding the publication made by INEC on Aug. 1, which declared Uzodimma as the person who won the highest number of votes in the APC primary election held on May 18 to contest as the preferred candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in 2027.
Okorocha also, prayed the court for an order directing INEC to recognise and publish his name as the duly nominated candidate of the APC to contest the poll, as well as an order prohibiting Uzodimma, whether by himself, the APC or anyone, howsoever named, from parading himself as the nominated candidate of the party to contest the election.
He equally sought an order awarding costs against the respondents, as the court may deem appropriate in all the circumstances of the suit.
In an affidavit deposed to Amen Rochas and attached to the suit, he said Okorocha is his biological father, noting that, by virtue of his position as Okorocha’s Personal Assistant on Political Matters, he was very conversant with the facts and circumstances stated by him.
Amen said that his father, Okorocha, who was born on Sept. 22, 1962, was a registered and financial card-carrying member of the APC pointing out that
Uzodimma’s tenure in office as governor will expire at midnight on Jan. 14, 2028, having taken the oath of office and sworn in on Jan. 15, 2024.
Uzodimma’s tenure in office as governor will expire at midnight on Jan. 14, 2028, having taken the oath of office and sworn in on Jan. 15, 2024.
He stressed that Uzodinma, whose tenure would not have expired by 2027 when the Senate will be inaugurated after the general election, also bought an Expression of Interest, EoI, and nomination forms for the party’s senatorial candidate.
According to him, his father, Uzodimma, together with many other APC aspirants vying for tickets to be its flag bearers for various political offices in Nigeria, were all screened and cleared to participate in the direct primaries, even as the National Working Committee,NWC, of APC directed that the results should be forwarded to the party’s national secretariat, as same would be announced at the national secretariat.
He alleged that the direct primary election was conducted by the APC on May 18 and his father emerged victorious after scoring 150,780 votes, with Uzodimma scoring 102,158 votes.
According to him, his father, Uzodimma, together with many other APC aspirants vying for tickets to be its flag bearers for various political offices in Nigeria, were all screened and cleared to participate in the direct primaries, even as the National Working Committee,NWC, of APC directed that the results should be forwarded to the party’s national secretariat, as same would be announced at the national secretariat.
He alleged that the direct primary election was conducted by the APC on May 18 and his father emerged victorious after scoring 150,780 votes, with Uzodimma scoring 102,158 votes.
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