The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State has insisted that Governor Hope Uzodimma remains its candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 elections, despite a Federal High Court ruling recognising former governor Rochas Okorocha as the winner of the party’s primary.

The party’s position was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by its State Publicity Secretary, Jones Onwuasoanya, who maintained that its senatorial candidacy remained unchanged.

The APC said Uzodimma emerged as its candidate after securing the support of the majority of party members during the primary.

“The party wishes to state without any confusion that His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, remains the candidate of our party for Imo West Senatorial District, having won the primaries of our great party with the overwhelming support of the majority of our party members,” the statement reads.

The party added that its legal department would study the court’s decision and determine the appropriate action.

“The Party’s legal department shall study the outcome of a legal intervention in this matter and act accordingly.

“We urge our teeming Party members and supporters of our great Party to remain focused and undistracted and remain committed to working assiduously for the victory of our Party across all constituencies in the State.”

Earlier on Thursday, the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove Uzodimma’s name as the APC candidate for Imo West and recognise Okorocha.

Presiding judge, Obiora Egwuatu, held that evidence before the court showed that Okorocha secured the majority of votes in the party’s primary conducted on May 18.

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

Okorocha, who governed Imo State from 2011 to 2019, had filed a suit in August challenging INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma as the APC candidate.

The former governor argued that the commission was bound by the reports of its officials who monitored the primary election.