Nobody Can Take My Senatorial Ticket, Uzodimma Declares

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has dismissed speculation that he could lose the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket for Imo West ahead of the forthcoming elections.

The governor spoke on Sunday after attending a mass at the Government House Chapel in Owerri, the state capital.

“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.

Uzodimma also called on residents to support the APC in the forthcoming elections, insisting that his political camp would not align with any other party.

“Go and campaign for the party, our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). There is no other political party we are going with,” he said.

He further outlined the APC candidates he expects residents to support across the state’s legislative constituencies, maintaining that the party would field candidates for all positions.

“For house of assembly, it is APC. For house of representatives, it is APC,” he said.

The governor identified Patrick Ndubueze as the APC senatorial candidate for Okigwe zone, while naming himself as the party’s candidate for Orlu zone and Alex Mbata for Owerri zone.

“For senate, your senator in Okigwe zone is Patrick Ndubueze, in Orlu zone it is my humble self (Hope Uzodimma), and in Owerri zone it is (Alex) Mbata,” he said.

His comments come days after a Federal High Court in Abuja directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove his name as the APC candidate for Imo West Senatorial District and replace it with that of former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who presided over the case, ruled that Okorocha won the APC senatorial primary conducted on 18 May by securing the majority of votes.

The judge faulted INEC for recognising Uzodimma’s nomination despite what he described as “overwhelming documentary evidence that the governor did not win the primary.”

Okorocha, who governed Imo State between 2011 and 2019, had instituted the suit in August, challenging INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma as the party’s candidate.

Reacting to the judgment, the former governor described the ruling as a victory for the people of Imo West and expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, alleging that the presidency was no longer backing the situation in Imo State.

He also praised the judiciary, saying the decision demonstrated that justice is no longer for sale to the highest bidder.