The legal battle over the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the Imo West senatorial seat has moved to the Court of Appeal, after the party and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma challenged a Federal High Court judgment that barred the governor from presenting himself as the party’s candidate and named former governor Rochas Okorocha instead. Meanwhile, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has publicly denied any role in the ruling.
Recap: What the Court Ruled
On 29 October 2026, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled in a suit filed by Okorocha against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the APC and Uzodimma. According to ThisDay and the Nigerian Democratic Report, the judge held that Okorocha won the party’s 18 May primary, set aside Uzodimma’s nomination, ordered INEC to publish Okorocha’s name as the APC candidate, and restrained the governor from parading himself as the party’s flag bearer for the 16 January 2027 election.
The judge also described documents the APC presented in support of Uzodimma’s candidacy as an afterthought, a finding the party is now contesting.
APC’s Grounds of Appeal
According to TheNigeriaLawyer, the APC filed a notice of appeal and an application for a stay of execution dated 30 October, about a day after the judgment. Through its counsel, Robert Emukperuo SAN, the party raised four main grounds.
First, it argues that Okorocha’s suit was filed outside the 14-day window allowed for pre-election cases under Section 285(9) of the Constitution. The party says time began to run from the 18 May primary or from 14 July, when it forwarded Uzodimma’s name to INEC, and not from 1 August, when INEC published the list, as the judge held. Second, it says allegations of forgery and fraud could not properly be decided in a case brought by originating summons. It also challenges the court’s procedure and its evaluation of evidence about the primary.
The party wants the entire judgment set aside. Its stay application asks the trial court to stop INEC from publishing Okorocha’s name until the appeal is decided. No order granting a stay had been reported as of Friday.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Oguike Nwachuku, earlier described the judgment as “a travesty of justice,” Blueprint reported.
Wike: “I Didn’t Go to Court”
Speculation that Wike influenced the judgment followed the circulation online of an old video showing him dancing with Okorocha. Speaking at a media chat in Port Harcourt on Thursday, 5 November, the FCT Minister dismissed the claims as mischievous, according to TheNigeriaLawyer. “I didn’t go to court. I’m not in APC,” he said.
Wike explained that the video was recorded years ago when he hosted Okorocha, then a sitting governor. He linked the accusations to his ongoing disagreement with Uzodimma over political alignments ahead of 2027.
Okorocha Warns Against Attacks on the Judge
Okorocha, who governed Imo from 2011 to 2019 and represented Imo West in the Senate from 2019 to 2023, has accused supporters of the governor of attacking the judiciary over the ruling. He urged the Uzodimma camp to pursue its grievances through the appeal process rather than criticising the judge, according to reports.
What Happens Next
The Court of Appeal will now decide whether the suit was filed in time and whether the trial court was right on the merits. Pre-election appeals must be heard and determined within strict constitutional timelines, so a decision is expected well before the January poll. Until a stay is granted or the judgment is overturned, the Federal High Court’s orders remain in force.
Sources: TheNigeriaLawyer, ThisDay, Blueprint, Nigerian Democratic Report, Vanguard.
