Okorocha counters INEC after petition to DSS over fictitious APC primary results

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Imo State has petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force over an alleged fictitious All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary result report circulating on social media, which purportedly presented Senator Rochas Okorocha as the party’s candidate for Imo West Senatorial District.

In separate letters dated October 5 and 8, 2026, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Chukwuemeka Ibeziako, described the disputed document as fraudulent and contrary to the report allegedly signed and forwarded to INEC’s national headquarters.

According to the REC, the authentic report dated May 18, 2026, clearly identified and certified Senator Hope Odidika Uzodinma as the winner and duly elected APC candidate for Imo West Senatorial District, while the disputed document allegedly named Senator Rochas Okorocha as the winner of the party’s primary election.

But following this earlier report concerning an alleged court-issued arrest warrant against former Imo State Governor and Senator Rochas Okorocha, a rebuttal has emerged challenging the authenticity of the report.

According to a statement attributed to Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media to Rochas Okorocha, the former governor’s camp insists that no court has issued an arrest warrant against Okorocha or former Senator Ifeanyi Araraume.

The statement challenges those circulating the report to make the alleged court order or bench warrant public within 48 hours. It also calls on media organisations that published the story to retract it and apologise if the alleged court order cannot be produced.

The statement raises questions about the reported timeline, noting that the alleged warrant was said to have been issued on September 9, 2026, while the petition reportedly linked to the matter was dated October 8, 2026.

It further claims that the petition attributed to the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner was intended to request an investigation into a document allegedly circulating about the APC senatorial primary results in Imo West, rather than to accuse Okorocha directly.