Police Reportedly Arrest Ex-Imo Governor Rochas Okorocha In Abuja
Former Imo State governor and Senator, Rochas Okorocha, has reportedly been arrested by police operatives in Abuja over allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery and impersonation linked to the disputed All Progressives Congress (APC) Imo West senatorial primary.
The reported arrest occurred on Monday evening, October 12, at REIZ Continental Hotel in central Abuja, according to reports by The Sun and Legit.ng.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force had yet to issue an official statement confirming the arrest, while details of the specific allegations against Okorocha remained unclear.
According to The Sun, the police had invited the former governor to the Force Headquarters in Abuja on September 2, 2026, but he failed to honour the invitation after his lawyers requested a rescheduling to September 8. The report said the police subsequently obtained a bench warrant for his arrest.
The reported arrest came two days after Okorocha’s camp publicly denied that any court had issued a warrant against him.
In a statement issued on Saturday, his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, insisted that no court had “ordered or issued any bench warrant” for the former governor’s arrest.
The statement also questioned the chronology of the alleged warrant, noting that it was dated September 9, while the petition reportedly connected to it was dated October 8.
Okorocha’s camp urged the public to disregard the report and appealed for peace within the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Disputed APC Primary At Centre Of Controversy
The reported arrest is linked to the controversy surrounding the APC Imo West senatorial primary conducted on May 18, 2026, which produced conflicting claims over the party’s candidate for the 2027 election.
The reported bench warrant reportedly listed four individuals: Okorocha, former Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, Timothy Chuks and Amen Okorocha. It allegedly authorised police operatives nationwide to arrest them and bring them before Senior Magistrate Court 3 in Jiwa, Abuja.
The dispute intensified after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner for Imo State, Chukwuemeka Ibeziako, wrote to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police on October 5 and October 8, requesting an investigation into a document circulating online.
The document purportedly identified Okorocha as the winner of the APC senatorial primary.
Ibeziako reportedly said the document contradicted the result report held at INEC’s national headquarters, which identified Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as the winner.
He described the disputed document as “fictitious” and warned that its circulation could threaten law and order in the state.
However, Okorocha has denied that Ibeziako petitioned security agencies against him.
The former governor maintains that he won the primary with 150,780 votes against Uzodimma’s 102,158 votes. However, the returning officer declared Uzodimma the winner with 230,464 votes.
Okorocha Challenges INEC’s Recognition Of Uzodimma
Beyond the police investigation, Okorocha has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma as the APC candidate for Imo West in the 2027 senatorial election.
The legal dispute also raises questions about Uzodimma’s eligibility to contest the election, given that his tenure as governor is scheduled to end in January 2028.
The outcome of the court proceedings could have implications for the APC’s candidate selection process in Imo West ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Okorocha governed Imo State from 2011 to 2019 before representing Imo West Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
The reported arrest introduces a criminal investigation dimension to the protracted political dispute involving the former governor, Uzodimma, the APC and INEC, with the competing claims over the primary election result yet to be fully resolved.
