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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the name of Senator Hope Uzodinma as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State.
The commission made the move on Friday following a court order obtained by the APC candidate from a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja.
Senator Uzodinma had approached the court for an order to override Thursday’s ruling of the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri.
Twenty aspirants on the platform of the APC had obtained the previous order which restrained INEC from publishing the name of the party’s candidate.
Sixty-seven governorship candidates and their respective running mates were published by INEC at its office, in Owerri.
Some of the names earlier displayed by INEC, include a former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Ihedioha Chukwuemeka of the People’s Democratic Party, a former Senator, Araraume Ifeanyi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Okechukwu Theodore Ezeh of the Social democratic party and Ibe Kenechukwu of the Accord party.
The APC had no candidate in rhe first list published. Uzodinma’s name appeared in an updated list published later in the day.
Uzodinma is locked in a bitter political and legal battle with Governor Rochas Okorocha’s annointed candidate, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu over who is the party’s authentic flagbearer formthe 2019 governorship election.