Senator Rochas Okorocha has alleged that Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma has never won a free and fair election, accusing him of manipulating the recent All Progressives Congress (APC) primary in the state and relying on judicial pronouncements rather than the ballot to hold office.

“Hope Uzodimma has never won an election in his life, from the one he got from fourth position. He never won an election,” Okorocha said. “What Hope does is just get one person in one room to write all results like he did in this primary.”

Okorocha, a former governor of Imo State and the senator representing Imo West, made the allegation in an interview over the weekend. He did not provide evidence to substantiate the claim of result manipulation in the primary.

Okorocha’s claim that Uzodimma “got [the governorship] from fourth position” refers to the 2019 Imo State governorship election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the winner, with Uzodimma of the APC finishing a distant fourth.

Uzodimma challenged the result at the election tribunal and the Court of Appeal without success. He then approached the Supreme Court, which on January 14, 2020, nullified Ihedioha’s election and declared Uzodimma the winner. The court held that Ihedioha did not satisfy the constitutional requirement of securing at least one-quarter of the votes cast in two-thirds of the 27 local government areas of the state.

Uzodimma was sworn in as governor on January 15, 2020.

Uzodimma sought a full term in the March 18, 2023, governorship election. He was declared the winner by INEC, defeating Samuel Anyanwu of the PDP and other candidates. He was sworn in for a second term on May 29, 2023. Okorocha’s claim that Uzodimma has “never won an election” therefore does not align with the official result of the 2023 contest, in which Uzodimma was returned by the electoral commission.

Okorocha’s allegation of result manipulation in “this primary” is likely a reference to the APC governorship primary in Imo State ahead of the 2027 election. The primary, held in October 2026, was reportedly won by Uzodimma’s preferred candidate, though the exercise was disputed by some aspirants. Okorocha did not specify which primary he was referring to or provide details of the alleged manipulation.

Okorocha and Uzodimma have been locked in a political feud for years. Both are from Imo State and have traded accusations over control of the APC structure in the state. Okorocha, who governed Imo from 2011 to 2019, was suspended from the APC in 2021 and later contested the 2023 presidential election under the APC before stepping down for President Bola Tinubu. He has since been critical of Uzodimma’s leadership.

Uzodimma’s spokesman, Oguwike Nwachuku, did not respond to requests for comment on Okorocha’s allegation as of the time of this report. The APC in Imo State has previously dismissed Okorocha’s criticisms as the complaints of a politician seeking relevance.

Okorocha’s statement is a political allegation, not a verified finding. The claim that Uzodimma has never won an election ignores the 2023 governorship result, in which Uzodimma was declared winner by INEC and sworn in for a second term. The claim about the primary is unsubstantiated, and no evidence was provided to support it. The allegation nonetheless underscores the deep factional rift within the Imo APC and the ongoing battle for control of the party ahead of the 2027 elections.