Okorocha Says Uzodimma Should Resign Before Senate Run

A former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has criticized Governor Hope Uzodimma for wanting to run in the Imo West District election while still serving as governor of the South-eastern state.

Mr Okorocha spoke on Thursday night during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today. He was reacting to his recent victory at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that the Federal High Court in Abuja had removed Mr Uzodimma as the APC’s candidate for the district and named Mr Okorocha as the winner of the party’s primary for the district.

Mr Okorocha argued on the TV show that Mr Uzodimma should resign as governor before trying to go back to the Senate. He said, “The point we are making is that Hope Uzodimma has a tenure of eight years to elapse in January 2028. Hope is contesting for the Senate, which starts in June 2027.”

He added, “What that means is that Hope Uzodimma is holding a paid job and seeking another paid job.” The former governor pointed out that it is against Section 183 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution to hold two paid positions.

The section states, “The Governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever.” However, PREMIUM TIMES learned that Mr Uzodimma planned to resign as governor before the 11th Senate starts in 2027 if he wins.

Both Mr Uzodimma and Mr Okorocha have represented the district before. Mr Uzodimma was the senator for the district from June 2011 to June 2019, while Mr Okorocha held the same position from 2019 to 2023.

On the TV show, Mr Okorocha insisted that Mr Uzodimma was wrong to seek a Senate seat while still being governor. He said, “The Constitution never envisaged that such a situation would ever arise where a normal person holding a position of governor would abandon it to go for the Senate when his tenure had not come to an end.”

He continued, “But the court made a very clear statement on that. And it’s unlawful for him to do that because if he wins it, he would be holding two paid jobs.” Mr Okorocha advised Mr Uzodimma not to appeal the court ruling because the “facts had spoken.”

“He has the right of appeal. But you know you cannot manipulate the law,” he said. Mr Okorocha celebrated the court ruling that confirmed his candidacy for Imo West District and said his candidacy would help President Bola Tinubu win in the state in 2027.

“What is important to me now is how Asiwaju will be elected in Imo State. With my emergence now in this ticket, Asiwaju can be sure that his victory is given in Imo State,” he said.

The former governor stated that he did not leave the APC despite his disagreements with Mr Uzodimma because he is a founding member of the party. “I wouldn’t have left the party I had founded. The name APC was given by Rochas Okorocha. Ask anybody.”

He concluded, “I am among the founding fathers of this party and so I’ll not leave the party because of Hope Uzodimma.”