An APC chieftain in Imo State and Apex APC Leader in Aboh Mbaise, Chief Charles Ogu, Kporo kporo Miri has cautioned former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, against actions capable of undermining the unity, peace and collective interest of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, particularly in Orlu Zone, insisting that the supremacy of the party must be respected by every member, irrespective of political status or influence.
Ogu made this position during an exclusive interview with journalists in the state while reacting to the recent Federal High Court judgment concerning the disputed APC senatorial primary for Imo West Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The APC chieftain, who emphasised that he was speaking strictly as a stakeholder in the APC and not merely as an indigene of Orlu Zone, said his concern was the unity, credibility and institutional integrity of the party, which he maintained must remain above the personal ambitions of individual politicians.
According to him, the APC is an organised political institution with established structures and procedures for selecting candidates, adding that no individual should take actions that could create unnecessary division or jeopardise the collective aspirations of party members and supporters.
He maintained that political parties do not win elections outside the people, stressing that the strength of the APC comes from its members, ward executives, local government structures and other stakeholders whose participation gives legitimacy to the party's political activities.
"Nobody wins an election outside the people. A political party is not the personal property of anybody. It belongs to its members and the people who believe in its ideals. The party is supreme, and every member, irrespective of position or political influence, must respect the party's established processes and decisions," Ogu stated.
Addressing the disputed May 18, 2026 APC senatorial primary for Imo West, Ogu questioned why the available records and evidence surrounding the exercise should not be given adequate consideration in the ongoing disagreement.
He noted that the primary election which produced Governor Hope Uzodimma as the APC candidate was not an exercise conducted in secrecy, insisting that there were available photographs, video recordings and other documentary materials showing the conduct of the exercise and the participation of party members.
He further recalled that the primary election committee announced Governor Hope Uzodimma as the winner, with 230,464 votes, while Senator Rochas Okorocha was recorded as polling 1,098 votes. He argued that the announced result, together with the available photographic and video records, constituted important materials that should be examined in resolving the controversy.
Ogu also pointed out that INEC subsequently published Governor Hope Uzodimma as the APC candidate for Imo West Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said the publication of the governor's name by INEC was a significant part of the sequence of events that followed the primary, adding that the subsequent court judgment had generated a disagreement which the party's leadership was entitled to address through the appropriate legal channels.
"The primary was conducted, results were announced, and there are pictures, videos and other available records of what transpired. The party's committee declared Governor Hope Uzodimma the winner, and INEC subsequently published his name as the APC candidate. These are important facts that cannot simply be ignored when discussing the circumstances surrounding the primary," he said.
The APC chieftain further explained that the process of producing a political party's candidate involves distinct stages which must be understood before conclusions are drawn about the legitimacy of any candidate.
According to him, the first stage is the expression of interest, where an individual formally indicates an intention to seek a particular political office under the platform of a political party. The second stage is participation in the party's primary election, where qualified aspirants present themselves for the party's selection process. The third stage is emerging as the party's duly nominated candidate following the conduct and conclusion of the primary in accordance with the party's constitution, guidelines and applicable electoral laws.
He explained that these stages are fundamentally connected to the internal political and administrative processes of the political party, which has the responsibility of organising its nomination process, determining the outcome in accordance with its rules and presenting its duly nominated candidate to INEC.
He stressed that merely expressing interest in a political office does not automatically make someone a candidate, just as participation in a primary does not, by itself, establish victory. According to him, the outcome of the recognised nomination process is what determines who emerges as the party's candidate.
Ogu stated that INEC receives the name of the candidate nominated and presented by the political party for the purpose of participating in the general election, subject to the requirements of the Constitution and applicable electoral laws.
He maintained that the distinction between the responsibilities of political parties, INEC and the judiciary must be respected, noting that the political party conducts its primaries and nominates its candidate, INEC performs its statutory electoral and administrative responsibilities, while the courts adjudicate disputes brought before them within their constitutional jurisdiction.
"Let us understand the process. There are three important stages: first, expression of interest as an aspirant; second, standing for the party's primary election; and third, emerging as the party's candidate. These are processes that begin and are conducted within the political party under its constitution and guidelines.
"The party is the institution that conducts the primary, determines its nominee in accordance with the law and presents that candidate to INEC for the general election. The courts do not organise party primaries, they do not conduct voting for political parties, and they do not independently produce or nominate candidates for political parties. Their responsibility is to interpret the law and adjudicate disputes properly brought before them. We must not confuse the judicial process with the political party's responsibility to nominate its candidate," Ogu explained.
He further challenged Senator Okorocha to make available verifiable photographs, video recordings and other credible evidence to substantiate his claims concerning the primary election and the basis of his claim to the party's ticket.
He maintained that in matters involving party primaries, transparency, credible records and adherence to established procedures should guide public discussions, rather than claims that could further polarise the party.
Ogu stressed that the interests of party members and the wider electorate should not be sacrificed because of disagreements among political leaders, warning that any action capable of creating instability within the APC could ultimately affect the party's relationship with its members and supporters across the state.
"Claiming victory in an election without addressing the available records and the established process is capable of creating confusion within the party. If anybody has a contrary position, let the person present verifiable evidence. We cannot build a strong political institution where individual interests are constantly placed above the collective interest of the party and its members," Ogu added.
Reacting specifically to the Federal High Court judgment, Ogu acknowledged the role of the judiciary in resolving pre-election disputes but maintained that the political and legal questions arising from the matter should be handled through lawful and recognised channels.
He noted that the Imo APC leadership had publicly maintained that Governor Hope Uzodimma remained its candidate following the outcome of the primary, and had indicated its intention to study the judgment and take appropriate legal steps.
He therefore urged Senator Okorocha and other concerned stakeholders to exercise restraint and avoid actions or public statements that could heighten tension among APC members, particularly in Orlu Zone, where the political future of the people should remain a shared responsibility.
Ogu further stated that the people of Orlu deserve peace, political stability and responsible representation, adding that disagreements among influential political figures should not be allowed to undermine the collective interests of the zone.
He emphasised that his intervention was not driven by personal sentiment, geographical considerations or hostility towards any political leader, but by his conviction that the survival and progress of the APC depend on the willingness of its members to respect party structures and prioritise collective interests.
He concluded by urging all APC stakeholders to allow the party's recognised leadership and relevant legal institutions to address the issues arising from the judgment, while appealing to members and supporters to remain peaceful and committed to the unity of the party.
According to him, the APC must remain the central institution around which its members organise their political activities, insisting that no individual's ambition should be allowed to overshadow the collective interest of the party and the people it seeks to represent.
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