Former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has accused his successor, Hope Uzodimma, of allegedly mobilising political aides and associates to attack the judiciary following a court judgment that recognised him as the All Progressives Congress candidate for Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 elections.
Okorocha urged Uzodimma to caution his supporters and allow the legal process to run its course rather than make disparaging comments about the judge who delivered the ruling.
The former governor made the appeal on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he visited the court registry to sign documents relating to Uzodimma’s appeal against the judgment.
The court, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, had on October 29 nullified Uzodimma’s emergence as the APC senatorial candidate and declared Okorocha the winner of the party’s May 18 primary.
Reacting to comments attributed to Uzodimma’s Deputy Chief of Staff and an APC National Vice Chairman, who reportedly described the judgment as rubbish and procured, Okorocha condemned the attacks on the judiciary.
He said, “I listened to the news yesterday, and it was so horrible, so terrible, that Governor Hope Uzodimma’s aides, namely his Deputy Chief of Staff and the National Vice Chairman of the APC, could berate a judge, insult a judge.”
The former governor accused the Imo State governor of applying different standards to judicial decisions depending on whether they favour him.
“So, it means that whenever the judgment is for Hope, it is good, but whenever it is against him, the judiciary is evil,” he said.
Okorocha further alleged that Uzodimma had directed his aides, commissioners and associates to attack the judge, questioning why the governor would not patiently pursue his appeal.
He said the governor should challenge the ruling through the available legal channels, including the Supreme Court, instead of allowing his supporters to attack judicial officers.
The former governor also questioned the documents presented during the proceedings, alleging inconsistencies concerning the date and method through which Uzodimma emerged as the APC candidate.
He disputed claims that the governor secured the ticket through consensus, insisting that the evidence before the court supported his emergence through the May 18 primary.
Okorocha also challenged Uzodimma to publicly respond to his allegations rather than allegedly using political associates to attack the judiciary.
The court had ordered the APC to submit Okorocha’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission as its candidate for the January 16, 2027 senatorial election.
