Electoral commission says APC’s official result named Hope Uzodimma winner of Imo West senatorial primary; Okorocha, Araraume and two others face allegations of forgery.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disowned a document circulating on social media that purportedly declared former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary for Imo West Senatorial District, popularly known as Orlu Zone.
The commission maintained that the authentic result submitted to it by the APC identified the incumbent Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, as the winner of the primary election conducted on May 18, 2026. It said Uzodimma’s name was subsequently forwarded to the commission as the party’s candidate for the senatorial district.
The development comes amid reports that a Senior Magistrate’s Court sitting in Abuja has issued bench warrants for the arrest of Okorocha, former Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and two other individuals over allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery and the presentation of false documents.
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INEC Petitions Police, DSS Over Alleged Fake Result
In a letter dated October 8, 2026, and signed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Imo State, Barrister Chukwuemeka C. Ibeziako, INEC called on the Commissioner of Police in the state and the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the circulation of the disputed document.
The commission described the matter as a case of a “fraudulent and fictitious All Progressives Congress senatorial party primary report for Imo State dated 18th May 2026.”
According to INEC, the document circulating on social media contradicted the official report signed by the APC and submitted to the commission’s national headquarters.
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The electoral body alleged that the disputed document wrongly presented Okorocha as the elected candidate of the party for Imo West Senatorial District.
To support its petition, INEC reportedly attached the official primary election result submitted by the APC alongside the disputed document, asking the security agencies to examine the records and investigate their origin and circulation.
In the letter, the commission warned that the circulation of the disputed document could threaten public peace and security in Imo State.
INEC therefore urged the police and the DSS to investigate the matter and take appropriate action in accordance with the law.
Court Issues Bench Warrants Against Okorocha, Araraume, Two Others
In a related development, a Senior Magistrate’s Court in Abuja has reportedly issued bench warrants for the arrest of Okorocha, Araraume, Timothy Ama Chuks and Amen Okorocha over allegations connected to the disputed APC senatorial primary results.
The warrants, dated September 9, 2026, relate to case numbers CR/M/JW/084/2026 and CR/M/JW/085/2026, involving the Inspector-General of Police and the four individuals.
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According to reports on the court proceedings, the accused persons are facing allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery and uttering false documents.
The disputed documents allegedly presented Okorocha as the winner of the APC senatorial primary for Imo West, contrary to the result INEC says was officially submitted to it by the party.
The warrants reportedly authorize police officers across Nigeria to arrest the named individuals and produce them before Senior Magistrate Court 3 in Jiwa, Abuja.
The allegations remain subject to the judicial process, and the issuance of arrest warrants does not, in itself, establish the guilt of the individuals named.
Dispute Puts Imo West APC Primary Under Scrutiny
The controversy has drawn attention to the competing claims surrounding the APC primary election for Imo West Senatorial District, an area widely known as Orlu Zone.
INEC’s position centres on the official result submitted by the APC, which the commission says recognized Uzodimma as the winner. The disputed document circulating online, however, purportedly presents a different outcome by naming Okorocha.
The commission’s request for a security investigation is intended to establish the circumstances surrounding the disputed report and determine whether any criminal offence was committed.
The police and the DSS are expected to investigate the allegations raised in INEC’s petition, while the court proceedings will determine the legal issues arising from the separate criminal cases.
As of the information contained in the reports cited, no final judicial determination of the allegations has been established. Any response from the accused persons or their legal representatives would also be relevant to presenting the matter fully and fairly.
Cruise TV News will continue to follow developments surrounding the INEC petition, the disputed APC primary election documents and the court proceedings involving the four individuals.
