Sunday Southerner – Main lead

The political atmosphere in Imo State is heavily charged. Daggers have been drawn. And it is obvious that no one is to be spared in the inordinate ambitions of political gladiators bent on enforcing their interests on the polity.

All is not well in a state once considered a fledgling stronghold of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Giving the overwhelming performance of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the last election, which saw the incumbent Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma winning all 30 local governments portrayed a picture that Imo is entirely for Tinubu come January 16, 2027.

But, the maze seems to have unravelled very fast and there are speculations that Imo State will swing in favour of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC and it’s presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi in the January polls.

Obi also won the state in the 2023 elections. But, Uzodinma had boasted after winning all the local governments to secure a second term in office that the ruling APC will repeat similar feat for Tinubu in 2027.

However, the day of long knives seems to have arrived too quickly with the ambitions of Uzodinma, the immediate past governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyessom Wike standing as an albatross to the President’s w it shcto win Imo State convincingly on next year’s poll

At the heart of the tussle is Uzodinma’s vaunting ambition to become the President of the 11th Senate in June 2027. The Imo Governor has not hidden his desire to succeed the incubator of that office, Senator Godswill Akpabio next year.

In stiff opportunities to that plan is the FCT Minister who considers Uzodinma a rival because of seeming equal access to the President. There is no love lost between Wike and the Imo Governor.

The Minister, in a bid to stop Uzodinma formed an alliance with Okorocha, also a bitter rival to the incumbent Governor. Uzodinma prevented Okorocha from producing a successor and orchestrated several probes, a judicial panel, and has dismantled the political structure of Okorocha as soon as he took over office.

Okorocha and Uzodinma are now locked in Titanic battle for the Imo West Senatorial ticket with Wike reportedly providing a buffer for his latest political hireling. Without the ticket, the Governor has no pathway to the Senate Presidency.

But Uzodinma was the first to flex the muscle, accusing his predecessor of forgery and theft of the mandate which he claimed was given to him by the APC to run as the candidate for Imo West next year.

Denying the claims, Okorocha swiftly upstaged his successor by a court order that caught everyone by surprise, although Uzodinma has said he would appeal the ruling.

Court declares Okorocha APC senatorial candidate for Imo West

A Federal High Court in Abuja declared former governor Rochas Okorocha the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District, and ordered the Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma to immediately stop presenting himself as such.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued the directive on Thursday after ruling that Uzodinma did not win the senatorial ticket primary held on May 18, 2026, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reportedly monitored.

The court held that the evidence showed Okorocha secured a majority of the votes cast in the primary and was therefore entitled to be recognised as the party’s candidate for the senatorial election.

Justice Egwuatu consequently directed the APC to submit Okorocha’s name to INEC as its candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District seat in the 2027 general elections.

The ruling marked a major setback for Uzodinma’s bid to represent the district in the Senate, while giving Okorocha a legal victory in the fight for the APC ticket.

The Imo West senatorial contest is one of the political battles ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the court’s decision now placing the party’s candidate selection process at the centre of the dispute.

Uzodimma’s camp fires back, takes fight to Okorocha

Enyinnaya Onuegbu, Chief of Staff to Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, in a fierce push back accused former governor Rochas Okorocha of staying away from key activities leading to the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary before attempting to claim its outcome.

Onuegbu in an interview said Okorocha did not participate in important party meetings, stakeholders’ engagements and reconciliation efforts before the primary.

According to the governor’s Chief of Staff, Okorocha’s absence from those activities undermined his claim to be an active stakeholder in the party’s selection process.

“Okorocha was absent from key events leading to Imo APC primary. He was nowhere to be found. He didn’t attend any reconciliation meeting, he didn’t show up for the stakeholders’ meeting.

“He wants to reap where he did not sow. You cannot stay away and then come back to dictate who becomes a candidate.

“Okorocha heavily distorted the facts. At what point before the primary elections did he address Imo APC members as an aspirant?

“The law requires oral evidence from witnesses, not just conflicting documents. He was not physically present at most of the events leading up to the primaries.”

Onuegbu also said Uzodimma made efforts to contact Okorocha and other aggrieved party leaders after the primary, but they did not respond to his calls.

He maintained that the Imo APC remained united and prepared for the election, dismissing complaints from the former governor’s camp.

Okorocha has since declared open support for Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, a group which Uzodinma had previously said was not welcomed in Imo.

Okorocha throws weight behind Wike’s coalition after court ruling.

Okorocha’s support for the coalition came shortly after the Federal High Court recognised him as the authentic APC candidate for the Imo West senatorial district, in a legal battle involving Governor Hope Uzodimma.

The former governor praised Wike and other supporters of the coalition for advocating political cooperation across party lines.

He argued that political affiliations should not prevent politicians from supporting individuals they consider capable of delivering good governance.

According to Okorocha, the coalition could bring together politicians from different parties to pursue shared political objectives, including backing President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

He said such an arrangement could involve some politicians stepping aside from their ambitions to ensure the achievement of a common goal.

Okorocha also took aim at Uzodimma’s political standing in Imo State, expressing doubts about the governor’s ability to secure widespread support for Tinubu in the state and across the South-East.

“Hope cannot carry Imo. Cannot carry South East,” he said.

The former governor further dismissed suggestions that his political influence was sustained through financial inducements, insisting that his support among residents was based on genuine affection.

His endorsement of the Rainbow Coalition comes against the backdrop of reported tensions between Wike and Uzodimma over the political initiative.

Political watchers are however worried that the fight among the gladiators could dent Tinubu’s chances in the coming polls. They have predicted that Peter Obi may sweep Imo unless the traducers close ranks quickly.