Federal High Court: Nullifies Imo West APC Primary, Okorocha Declared Winner

• Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha urged Governor Hope Uzodimma to caution his aides against attacking the judiciary.
• This call follows a Federal High Court judgment that nullified Uzodimma's candidacy for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 elections.
• Justice Obiora Egwuatu's ruling recognized Okorocha as the rightful winner of the APC's May 18 senatorial primary.
• Uzodimma's aides reportedly described the judgment as "rubbish and procured," which Okorocha condemned as an attempt to intimidate the judiciary.
• Okorocha emphasized that legal challenges should be pursued through appeals rather than public denigration of the courts.

Such conduct undermines the rule of law, potentially leads to contempt of court, and damages public confidence in legal institutions, necessitating careful counsel on professional and ethical conduct in legal disputes.

Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has publicly urged his successor, Hope Uzodimma, to restrain his aides from making disparaging remarks against the judiciary. This plea follows a recent Federal High Court judgment that invalidated Uzodimma's nomination as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the upcoming 2027 elections. Okorocha emphasized that rather than permitting supporters to undermine the judiciary through public denigration, Governor Uzodimma should pursue the established legal channels, including an appeal up to the Supreme Court.

Okorocha's comments were made on Tuesday at the Federal High Court premises in Abuja, where he was present to sign documents related to the appeal filed by Uzodimma against the court's decision. He specifically condemned statements attributed to the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff and the APC National Vice Chairman, who reportedly dismissed the October 29 judgment as "rubbish and procured." Okorocha characterized these actions as an attempt to intimidate the judicial system, highlighting the impropriety of such public attacks on judges and their rulings. He recounted hearing news reports where these aides "berated a judge, insult a judge," and even suggested the judge "should go and look at himself in the mirror."

The core of the dispute lies in an October 29 judgment delivered by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja. This ruling specifically nullified Uzodimma's emergence as the APC candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District, a decision that carries significant weight for the party's representation in the 2027 elections. The court meticulously reviewed the results of the party's senatorial primary, held on May 18, and determined that Rochas Okorocha had secured the highest number of lawful votes.

Consequently, the court issued a clear directive, mandating the All Progressives Congress to officially submit Okorocha's name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its legitimate candidate for the senatorial election scheduled for January 16, 2027. This judicial intervention directly impacts the contest for the crucial Imo West senatorial seat, effectively shifting the party's official candidate from Uzodimma to Okorocha based on the court's interpretation of the primary election results.

Okorocha strongly criticized the pattern of selective respect for judicial outcomes, noting that judgments are deemed "good" when they favor Governor Uzodimma but "evil" when they rule against him. He described this approach as "very uncivilised" and called for an end to such "insulting judges," stressing that such behavior does not reflect well on the nation's democratic institutions. The former governor underscored the importance of respecting court decisions, recalling that Uzodimma himself had previously benefited from favorable judicial pronouncements, implying a double standard in the current criticism.

This incident highlights the critical importance for legal practitioners to advise political clients on the appropriate legal avenues for challenging court decisions, such as appeals, rather than resorting to public attacks or denigration of the Nigeria judiciary. Such conduct undermines the rule of law, potentially leads to contempt of court, and damages public confidence in legal institutions, necessitating careful counsel on professional and ethical conduct in legal disputes. Despite the current tensions and the denigration of the judiciary by some, Okorocha affirmed his confidence in the Nigerian judiciary, expressing belief that the right thing would ultimately be done.

This case highlights the critical importance for legal practitioners to advise political clients on the appropriate legal avenues for challenging court decisions, such as appeals, rather than resorting to public attacks or denigration of the judiciary. Such conduct, as exemplified by aides in this story, can undermine the rule of law, potentially lead to contempt of court, and damage public confidence in legal institutions, necessitating careful counsel on professional and ethical conduct in legal disputes.

Source: Original reporting via The PUNCH