For Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the ambition to move from the executive arm of government to the legislature comes with a significant constitutional and political dilemma, as Section 183 of the Constitution bars a sitting governor from holding another executive office or paid employment, Davidson Iriekpen writes
T
he next few months in Imo State will be very interesting following the suit filed by former Governor Rochas Okorocha against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for publishing the name of the incumbent Governor Hope Uzodimma as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Imo West Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 poll.
In the originating summons filed on August 13, 2026, at the Federal High Court in Abuja by his counsel, OJ Aboje, the former governor, who joined Uzodimma and the APC as defendants, asked the court to determine whether the publication of Uzodimma’s name by the commission as winner of the primary was not wrongful.
Okorocha was governor of Imo State from 2011 to 2019 and senator from 2019 to 2023. He contested the APC senatorial district ticket with Uzodimma in May 2026.
On the other hand, Uzodimma was senator from June 2011 to June 2019 before he was sworn in as governor in January 2020 after a controversial Supreme Court judgement. He was reelected for a second term as governor in January 2024. This implies that his tenure will elapse in January 2028.
The 11th Senate will be inaugurated in June 2027 — more than six months before the expiration of his stint as governor.
Citing Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution which states that: “The governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever,” Okorocha prayed the court to declare that it was unconstitutional for INEC to publish Uzodimma’s name as APC’s candidate when he did not emerge as winner of the primary election.
He sought an order setting aside or voiding the publication made by INEC which declared Uzodimma as the aspirant who polled the highest number of votes cast.
Okorocha prayed the court for an order directing INEC to recognise and publish his name as the duly nominated candidate of APC to contest the poll.
Many feel that Uzodimma faces a high-stakes political gamble to transition from the executive arm to the legislature.
His ambition has elicited debate on whether he would resign as governor should he win the senatorial election in 2027, particularly whether he will really forfeit the office without an eye on who serves out the remaining part of his tenure.
Reports emanating from the state since his senate aspiration was mooted indicate that the governor will definitely not leave the governorship seat without deciding who succeeds him.
Recently, there were reports that Uzodimma’s deputy, Mrs. Chinyere Ekomaru, was being pressured to resign. The unconfirmed reports said the move was part of the governor’s plot to appoint a trusted successor who would stand in the gap to complete his tenure when he goes to the Senate.
The reports claimed that Ekomaru’s resignation would also allow Uzodimma to appoint another loyal deputy from Orlu zone and an interim governor from Owerri zone.
Ekomaru became Uzodimma’s deputy in 2023. When he picked her to replace Prof. Placid Njoku, he said it was to add value to his gubernatorial ticket. But Ekomaru’s office, in early May, refuted claims that she had resigned from her position, describing them as false and misleading.
“This claim, as at this moment and the time it was trended, is entirely untrue and should be disregarded in its entirety,” the statement said, suggesting that the resignation could still happen in the near future.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Chinyere Ekomaru, is currently engaged in official duties as the number two citizen of this great state and continues to serve the state in her capacity as deputy governor,” the statement added.
This is the first time in the history of the country that a governor would embark in such a political gamble. What Nigerians are used to is a situation where a sitting governor would legally pick a senatorial ticket while serving out or finishing his eight-year mandatory tenure. As his tenure expires on May 29, he switches to the Senate in June.
It is for this reason that observers and analysts are surprised why the governor would choose to face a high-stake political gamble to transition from the executive branch to the legislature.
It is being rumoured that his ambition is to secure the Senate presidency in 2027.
However, this speculation is too hasty and premature as there are no indications that the APC, which currently zoned the Senate Presidency to the South-south, will zone it to the South-east in 2027.
The governor had said he is aspiring to support the Tinubu’s administration through “quality representation, effective legislation, enhanced development and sustainable progress” and the Senate seems to provide the opportunity for him.
Pundits, however, argued that Uzodimma is pursuing selfish ambition.
They insisted that if he is concerned about the welfare of the generality of his people, he should have allowed any other politician from his zone to continue from where he had stopped in the Senate.
Sources believe that one of the reasons he is embarking on the mission is that by time his governorship tenure expires in the January 2028, there may not be any vacant ministerial position for President Tinubu to immediately appoint him to fill and senate seat would have been taken over, hence the need for the gamble.
Other sources, however, stated that the quest to return to the Senate is to enable him to become the Senate President in June 2027 should Tinubu win a re-election.
His critics argue that he believes that he is a better choice than Senator Godswill Akpabio, having occupied executive position and currently the chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) as well as leader of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA), a group at the vanguard of Tinubu’s second term bid.
There are also strong rumours about 2031, when power would rotate to the North.
The governor’s critics believe that he is also strategizing to become the vice presidential running mate to a northern APC presidential candidate in 2031.
However, it is still premature and hasty to speculate on the 2031 political permutations.
For now, many are anxiously waiting to see how Okorocha’s suit would upset the apple cart.
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