2027 Elections: Uzodimma Wins APC Senatorial Ticket Amid Controversy
- Imo state governor, Hope Uzodimma, secured the APC Imo West senatorial district ticket to contest in the 2027 elections
- Uzodimma's senatorial bid has been controversial as his tenure as the governor would run till January 2028, seven months after the 11th Senate would have been inaugurated
- Barrister Misbau Lateef criticised the governor, noting that his constituency would be denied appropriate representation if he did not resign to join the Senate
Hope Uzodimma, the governor of Imo state, has won the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)'s Imo West Senatorial District primaries ahead of the 2027 general election.
The governor emerged as the party's candidate in the senatorial primary of the APC that was held on Monday, May 18.
Source: Twitter
Governor Uzodimma had previously served as the senator for Imo West between 2011 and 2019. He is seeking a return to the Red Chamber after completing his tenure as the governor of Imo state. Channels TV reported that the governor's tenure is expected to end in January 2028.
Lawyer speaks on Uzodimma's senatorial ambition
Speaking on the consequences, Misbau Lateef, a Nigerian legal practitioner and law lecturer based in the United Kingdom, stated in an interview with Legit.ng that Uzodimma may deprive his senatorial constituency of the appropriate representation if he chooses to complete his tenure as the governor of Imo state.
His statement reads:
"If he wins the Senate, he will become a Senator-elect even as a sitting Governor (this is already common in Nigeria) and he does not have to join inauguration of the Senate in June 2027 (imagine if a senator-elect is sick or hospitalised before inauguration). So, he can be inaugurated after serving his term as Governor with the consequence of depriving his senatorial constituency their due representation during the hiatus. However, while the law does not forbid him from contesting, it absolutely forbids him from being sworn in while still serving as Governor."
Nigerians react to Uzodimma's primary drama
Meanwhile, the primary of the governor was dramatic as he was seen holding his banner and joining the queue, a development that got Nigerians talking. Below are some of their reactions:
Idaz described the moment as organic:
"This is an organic structure and confirmation of grassroots presence. This is what only the Messiah in Nigeria ran away from in order to avoid embarrassment. No one will deceive Nigerians that politics is a religious war any longer."
Source: Facebook
Adetunji Adewolu described the primary as a family meeting:
"The governor queues behind himself, his wife queues behind the governor, and supporters queue behind everybody. At that point, na family meeting with ballot papers as the primary."
Jacob said the governor was trying to retain his political influence:
"Uzodinma’s ambition is not just because he wants to become the SP. That may be secondary. The primary goal is to retain his political influence in Imo. If he waits for his term to expire in 2028, he may have to wait till 2031 to contest. He may not even get the ticket that time."
Asham commended the primary:
"Direct Primaries will humble you. Thank you, President Tinubu, you have done really well."
Watch the video of the governor on X here:
APC governors denied sacking Uzodimma
Legit.ng earlier reported that the APC governors denied the report that they sacked Hope Uzodimma as the chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum.
Folorunso Aluko, the director general of the forum, made the clarification in a statement on Thursday, May 7, describing the claim as false.
Reports had earlier claimed that Uzodimma was sacked by 20 APC governors, who reportedly elected his counterpart from Enugu as the chairman of the forum.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
