Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has vowed that he would never surrender his senatorial ticket to former Governor Rochas Okorocha, despite the recent court ruling.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, in October, sacked Mr Uzodimma as the Imo West senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general elections and replaced him with Mr Okorocha.
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But Mr Uzodimma, while speaking on Sunday after attending Mass at the Government House Chapel in Owerri, the Imo State capital, described suggestions that he would surrender his ambition to another candidate as “a lie,” Vanguard newspaper reported.
“If they tell you that I will hold this ticket and somebody will collect it and give it to another, tell the person it is a lie,” he said.
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The governor called on residents of the state to canvass support for the APC to ensure its victory across all levels.
“Go and campaign for the party, our great party, the APC. There is no other political party we are going with.
“For the House of Assembly, it is APC. For the House of Representatives, it is APC,” he said
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He added, “For the Senate, your senator in Okigwe zone is Patrick Ndubueze, in Orlu zone (Imo West District) it is my humble self (Hope Uzodimma), and in Owerri zone it is (Alex) Mbata,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Okorocha had earlier hailed the ruling nullifying Mr Uzodimma’s candidacy, describing it as a victory for the nation’s judiciary and democracy.
The former governor, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemodo, praised President Bola Tinubu for “providing the enabling environment” for the judiciary and other institutions to function for the nation’s rapid development and growth.
“This judgement, to say the least, is a resounding victory for the nation’s judiciary. It is a victory for the nation’s fast-growing democracy. It is an outstanding victory for the nation’s constitution, as amended.
“It is a remarkable victory for all lovers of what is right and haters of what is wrong. It is a notable victory for posterity and history,” he said.
“Finally, it is a victory for Imo people in general, and Imo West Senatorial District people in particular.”
Background
The court ruling and squabble between Messrs Uzodimma and Okorocha stemmed from the APC primary election for Imo West District.
The APC organised its senatorial primary election for the district on 18 May, which was officially won by Mr Uzodimma and later recognised by INEC.
However, controversy arose when a different document emerged showing that Mr Okorocha had won the same APC primary.
The disputed document listed Mr Okorocha as the successful candidate with 150,780 votes despite initial results showing Mr Uzodimma scored 230,464 votes while Mr Okorocha received 1,098 votes.
In October this year, INEC’s Imo State Office petitioned the SSS and the Nigeria Police Force over the disputed document.
In letters dated 5 October and 8 October, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo State, Chukwuemeka Ibeziako, described the document naming Mr Okorocha as the winner as “fictitious.”
The INEC’s REC, a lawyer, maintained that the authentic report of the 18 May primary identified Mr Uzodimma as the winner and that the APC had forwarded his name to the electoral body as its candidate.
The commission then attached copies of both the official report and the disputed document to its petitions and asked the security agencies to investigate the document’s source and authenticity.
Mr Okorocha filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja against INEC, Uzodimma and the APC in August.
The politician asked the court to determine whether INEC was bound by reports from its officials who monitored the 18 May senatorial primary and whether the commission was right to recognise Mr Uzodimma as the winner.
The former governor also raised a constitutional question concerning Mr Uzodimma’s eligibility to contest the 2027 senatorial election while still serving as governor.
Mr Uzodimma’s second term in office will elapse by January 2028 while the next Senate is expected to be inaugurated in June 2027.
READ ALSO: Tinubu won 2023 election without Buhari’s full support – APC campaign spokesperson
Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution provides that a state governor cannot hold another executive office or paid employment while holding office.
However, PREMIUM TIMES understands that Mr Uzodimma has perfected plans to resign his position as governor before the expiration of his tenure to switch to the Senate if he wins the general election.
Shortly after the court ruling sacking Mr Uzodimma as the APC senatorial candidate for Imo West District, the APC in the state insisted that the governor remains its candidate.
The spokesperson of the APC in Imo State, Jones Onwuasoanya, however, said in a statement at the time that the APC would take the next action after studying the court judgement.
“The party’s legal department shall study the outcome of a legal intervention in this matter and act accordingly,” Mr Onwuasoanya had said.
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