Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force over allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
Okorocha, a former senator representing Imo West, was arrested on Monday night at the REIZ Continental Hotel in central Abuja.
The Force spokesperson, Aniete Iniedu, a Chief Superintendent of Police, confirmed the arrest, saying the former governor was released on bail after about an hour of interrogation.
Iniedu said Okorocha had been directed to return to the Force Headquarters on Tuesday for further questioning as investigations into the allegations continued.
The arrest followed the former governor’s alleged failure to honour previous police invitations concerning the matter.
According to reports, the police first invited Okorocha on September 2, but rescheduled the appointment to September 8 at the request of his lawyers. He reportedly failed to attend on the rescheduled date.
Dispute over Imo West senatorial primary
The police investigation comes amid controversy over the All Progressives Congress primary for Imo West Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general election.
Okorocha was among the aspirants who contested the party’s primary held on May 18. Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma was declared the winner and subsequently recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
However, a disputed document later emerged claiming that Okorocha had won the primary with 150,780 votes.
The figures in the document differed significantly from the initial results, which showed Uzodimma scoring 230,464 votes and Okorocha receiving 1,098 votes.
In October, INEC’s Imo State office petitioned the State Security Service and the Nigeria Police Force over the disputed document.
In letters dated October 5 and 8, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Chukwuemeka Ibeziako, described the document naming Okorocha as the winner as fictitious.
The commission maintained that its authentic report of the May 18 primary identified Uzodimma as the winner and that the APC had submitted his name as its candidate.
INEC attached copies of both the official report and the disputed document to its petitions, asking the security agencies to investigate the document’s source and authenticity.
Okorocha challenges INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma
In August, Okorocha filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja against INEC, Uzodimma and the APC.
He asked the court to determine whether INEC was bound by reports from its officials who monitored the May 18 senatorial primary and whether the commission was right to recognise Uzodimma as the winner.
The former governor also raised a constitutional question about Uzodimma’s eligibility to contest the 2027 senatorial election while still serving as governor.
Uzodimma’s second term as governor is expected to end in January 2028, while the next Senate is scheduled to be inaugurated in June 2027.
Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution prohibits a state governor from holding another executive office or paid employment while in office.
Reports have suggested that Uzodimma may resign as governor before the end of his tenure to pursue a Senate seat if he wins the election.
Meanwhile, a report circulated online in September alleging that a senior magistrate court in Abuja had issued a bench warrant against Okorocha, former senator Ifeanyi Araraume and two other people on September 9.
Okorocha denied the report and challenged those circulating it to make the alleged warrant public.
The police investigation into the allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery and impersonation remains ongoing.