Battle Royale In Imo As Uzodimma, Okorocha Fight Over Senatorial Ticket, Rainbow Coalition

By Ademu Idakwo, Abuja, and Emmanuel Mgbeahurike, Owerri

The political battle between Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, and his predecessor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, over the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for Imo West Senatorial District has intensified following a Federal High Court judgment recognising Okorocha as the winner of the party’s primary election.

The development has further widened the political division between the two former allies, with the emergence of the Rainbow Coalition championed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, adding another dimension to the struggle for political influence in Imo State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Okorocha, who has been engaged in a prolonged political rivalry with Uzodimma since succeeding him as governor in 2020, has openly embraced Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, declaring his intention to mobilise politicians across party lines in Imo State to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

The former governor made the declaration on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, shortly after securing the court judgment against Uzodimma.

He commended Wike for promoting the coalition, saying it would bring together members of different political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to pursue a common political objective.

Okorocha also took a swipe at Uzodimma, questioning his political popularity and ability to deliver Imo State and the Southeast for Tinubu in 2027.

“With my name coming on the ballot paper now, Asiwaju can be sure that his victory is guaranteed in Imo State,” he said.

He added: “I commend people like Wike when he talks about the Rainbow Coalition. As I leave here now, I’m going back to Imo State, and we are going to start the Rainbow Coalition in Imo State.

“We will bring the PDP to support Tinubu to win. Some people will step down their position to make sure we achieve our common goal. Hope cannot carry Imo State. Hope cannot carry Southeast.”

The development comes amid disagreements between Wike and Uzodimma over the coalition, with the Imo governor insisting that political mobilisation for Tinubu’s re-election in the state must be conducted through the APC.

Uzodimma had, on October 27, declared that there was no Rainbow Coalition in Imo State while warning members of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement against working with political platforms outside the ruling party.

The governor also threatened to withdraw campaign vehicles provided to members of the movement if they participated in political activities outside the APC structure.

Wike, however, has maintained that the Rainbow Coalition is designed to mobilise support for Tinubu across party lines and does not require participants to abandon their political parties.

The FCT minister has also been linked to political disagreements with some APC governors over the coalition and the choice of candidates for elective positions in their states.

In Imo State, the disagreement has coincided with the struggle between Uzodimma and Okorocha over the Imo West senatorial ticket, which has also been linked to the governor’s reported ambition to become Senate President in the 11th National Assembly.

The latest twist followed a judgment delivered on Thursday, October 29, by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which ordered the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Okorocha as the party’s candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 elections.

The court held that evidence before it established that Okorocha won the APC senatorial primary conducted on May 18, 2026, and directed the party to forward his name to INEC.

The judgment effectively nullified Uzodimma’s nomination, despite the party having declared him winner of the primary with 230,464 votes against Okorocha’s 1,098 votes.

Okorocha had challenged the outcome of the primary, arguing that the result submitted to INEC did not reflect the actual outcome of the exercise monitored by the electoral commission.

The former governor also raised questions about Uzodimma’s eligibility to contest the senatorial election while still serving as governor, citing Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits a governor from holding another executive office or paid employment while in office.

However, the Imo State chapter of the APC has rejected the judgment, insisting that Uzodimma remains its validly nominated candidate for the senatorial district.

The party’s position was contained in a statement issued by its State Chairman, Austin Onyedebelu, and State Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, who described the ruling as troubling.

The APC leadership faulted the judgment over its assessment of evidence and judicial precedents, maintaining that Uzodimma emerged winner of the party’s primary.

It said its legal department was studying the Certified True Copy of the judgment to determine the appropriate legal intervention and next course of action, including filing an appeal.

The party also called on its members and supporters across the 12 local government areas of Orlu zone to remain calm and law-abiding while the legal process continues.

The current legal battle has also revived memories of the 2019 Imo governorship election, when Uzodimma challenged the declaration of Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP as winner of the poll.

In the March 9, 2019 election, INEC declared Ihedioha winner, while Uzodimma, then the APC candidate, was placed fourth.

Uzodimma subsequently challenged the result up to the Supreme Court, which, on January 14, 2020, nullified Ihedioha’s election and declared him the duly elected governor of Imo State.

The apex court held that results from 388 polling units had been wrongfully excluded from Uzodimma’s votes and that their inclusion gave him the required majority.

The latest Federal High Court judgment has consequently drawn attention to the possibility of another prolonged legal contest over the political leadership and representation of Imo West, with the APC indicating that it may challenge the ruling.

Meanwhile, the National Secretary of the PDP, Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, has described the party’s alignment with the Rainbow Coalition as the political platform capable of defeating the APC in the 2027 Imo governorship election.

Anyanwu, who spoke through a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Ikenna Onuoha, accused the Uzodimma administration of opposing the coalition because of its growing political influence in the state.

He described those opposed to the Rainbow Coalition as politicians who were apprehensive about the 2027 elections, alleging that the initiative had blocked their avenues for electoral manipulation.

According to him, the APC’s rejection of the coalition during the unveiling of the PBAT Door-to-Door initiative in Owerri demonstrated the party’s concerns about the emerging political alliance.

He said: “APC in Imo State and its leaders are afraid of PDP and the Rainbow Coalition. Their statement during the unveiling of the Door-to-Door initiative in Owerri that Rainbow Coalition has no basis in the state is a testament that the party and its drivers are frustrated and confused.”

Anyanwu also accused the Uzodimma administration of failing to address infrastructure, healthcare, education and other development challenges in the state.

He particularly cited the condition of rural roads, the state of public hospitals, the economy and the ongoing strike by lecturers of the Imo State University, alleging that the government had failed to address the concerns of the university workers.

The PDP national secretary further accused the administration of failing to fulfil promises made to the electorate during the 2023 governorship election.

He maintained that Imo residents were dissatisfied with the APC government and would embrace the PDP and the Rainbow Coalition as an alternative political platform in 2027.

However, the Renewed Hope Foot Soldiers for Tinubu has expressed concern that the unfolding crisis could undermine the APC’s unity in the Southeast and affect President Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

The group, in a statement signed by its National President, Hon. Gbenga Owojori, said the Federal High Court judgment recognising Okorocha as the duly elected APC candidate for Imo West could deepen political tensions in the region.

It argued that Uzodimma, an experienced politician who served in the Senate before becoming governor, should also be allowed to pursue his political ambitions in accordance with the rules.

The group described the governor as a credible contender for the Senate presidency, noting that his potential candidacy had received support from political leaders across party lines.

“The dispute over the Imo West ticket has consequences beyond the constituency. It has altered the political calculations surrounding the Senate presidency and raised concern that a leading Southeast contender could be shut out of the contest before the next Senate is constituted,” it said.

The organisation also raised allegations by critics that Senate President Godswill Akpabio had an interest in preventing Uzodimma from emerging as a potential rival and that Wike was involved in efforts to pursue a legal challenge against the governor.

It further cited allegations by Uzodimma’s supporters that Wike had repeatedly threatened to deal with the Imo governor, expressing concern over claims that the minister may have influenced the legal dispute.

The group, however, did not provide evidence establishing that Wike influenced the court proceedings.

It urged the APC leadership to ensure transparency in its nomination processes and avoid excluding any aspirant to protect the political interests of another individual.

The group warned that the dispute could affect Tinubu’s second-term ambition if Southeast leaders conclude that their support for the administration was not matched by fair political representation.

“The President needs a united party and the confidence of political allies across the country. If the Southeast believes its support is welcome only when votes are needed, but its candidates are obstructed when power is being shared, the consequences could extend well beyond Imo State,” it said.

The Renewed Hope Foot Soldiers for Tinubu called on the APC leadership to address the concerns through transparent processes and inclusive dialogue, warning that further political marginalisation of the Southeast could deepen regional disaffection and weaken the coalition the President would need ahead of the 2027 general elections.