Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has challenged his successor, Hope Uzodimma, to resign as governor if he intends to contest for the Imo West Senatorial seat in the 2027 elections.

Okorocha argued that Uzodimma should not continue occupying the governorship while pursuing another public office, insisting that he should vacate the Government House and allow someone else to take over.

He made the remarks on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, hours after a Federal Capital Territory High Court ruled in his favour in the dispute over the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket for Imo West.

“The point we are making is that Hope Uzodimma has a tenure of eight years to elapse in January 2028. Hope is contesting for Senate, which starts in May 2027.

“What that means is that Hope Uzodimma is holding a paid job and seeking another paid job,” Okorocha said.

He maintained that the governor was still earning a salary while seeking another paid position in the Senate, describing the arrangement as contrary to the principles of public service.

The former governor insisted that Uzodimma should resign if he wanted to contest, adding that Imo residents deserved a new governor.

The two politicians are locked in a legal dispute over the APC ticket for Imo West, with both claiming victory in the party’s senatorial primary.

Although the APC submitted Uzodimma’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its candidate, Okorocha challenged the decision in court.

On Thursday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court ruled that Okorocha secured the majority of votes cast in the primary and ordered the APC to submit his name to INEC.

Reacting to the judgment, Okorocha described the ruling as a victory for the judiciary, insisting that the courts were not for sale.

He also declared that Uzodimma had “met his Waterloo”, alleging that the court found that the governor’s documents “were forged”.

Beyond the senatorial dispute, Okorocha claimed that his appearance on the ballot would guarantee President Bola Tinubu’s victory in Imo State in 2027.

“What is important to me now is how Asiwaju will be elected in Imo State. With this, my name coming on the ballot paper now, Asiwaju can be sure that his victory is given in Imo State,” he said.

The former governor also urged people in the South-East to approach the 2027 presidential election strategically rather than allow emotions to influence their political decisions.

He described support for Tinubu as a strategic alliance that could advance the region’s political interests.

“As Southeasterners, we are not going to politics now with emotions; we have to go to politics with strategy. So, supporting Tinubu for Ndigbo is a strategic alliance,” he said.

“We cannot afford to gamble for four years. Any time Nigerians think it is the time for Ndigbo to be president, we should be proper presidents.”

Okorocha added that he would work more closely with other South-East governors to secure support for Tinubu across the region if given the responsibility of coordinating the President’s campaign in Imo State.