Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has been criticized for entering the Imo West Senatorial District race for the 2027 general elections while still serving as governor. The governor was recently elected unopposed as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the senatorial election. However, Uzodimma's decision to contest comes two years and four months after his inauguration as governor, raising questions about his commitment to his current office.
Legal Expert Weighs In
Barrister Misbau Lateef, a Nigerian lawyer and senior law lecturer based in the United Kingdom, expressed concerns in an interview that the governor is exploiting a vacuum in the Nigerian constitution. Lateef noted that there is no provision in the 1999 Constitution or the Electoral Act 2026 that bars a sitting governor from contesting for a different political office before the expiration of their tenure.
Lateef explained: "The key constitutional provisions governing qualifications for election are found in Section 182 (Qualifications and Disqualifications for Governor) and Section 66 (for Senate). Neither section states that holding the office of Governor is a disqualification for the Senate. The mere act of 'contesting' is not prohibited."
Potential Scenarios
If Uzodimma wins the Senate seat, he would become a Senator-elect while still serving as governor. He would not have to join the inauguration of the Senate in June 2027 immediately, as he could be inaugurated after serving his term as governor. However, this would deprive his senatorial constituency of representation during the hiatus. While the law does not forbid him from contesting, it absolutely forbids him from being sworn in while still serving as governor.
Lateef expressed doubt that Uzodimma would resign his governorship to join the Senate in June 2027, stating: "I doubt this very strongly. Nigerian politicians are not that selfless or responsible." He described the situation as "a desperate, insensitive, selfish, and mischievous exploitation of constitutional lacunae."
Call for Reform
Lateef urged that this experience should provoke a future constitutional amendment to prescribe that no one can contest for a post they cannot validly take or assume concurrently with their existing position. He cited examples from the United States, where several states have "resign-to-run" laws, as well as similar laws in India, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
APC Governors Deny Sacking Uzodimma
In related news, the APC governors denied reports that they sacked Uzodimma as chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum. Folorunso Aluko, the director general of the forum, made the clarification in a statement on Thursday, May 7, describing the claim as false. Reports had earlier claimed that Uzodimma was removed by 20 APC governors, who reportedly elected his counterpart from Enugu as the new chairman.
