A Senior Magistrate Court sitting in Abuja has reportedly issued bench warrants for the arrest of former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, and former Senator Ifeanyi Araraume over allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery and the use of false documents linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election in Imo State.
The warrants, dated September 9, 2026, were reportedly issued by Senior Magistrate Court 3, Jiwa, Abuja, in two separate cases numbered CR/M/JW/084/2026 and CR/M/JW/085/2026.
According to court documents, the proceedings were instituted in the name of the Inspector-General of Police against Okorocha, Araraume and two other individuals, Timothy Ama Chuks and Amen Okorocha.
The warrants authorised police officers across the country to apprehend the defendants and bring them before the court to answer the allegations.
The development comes amid controversy surrounding documents purportedly showing that Okorocha emerged as the winner of the APC senatorial primary election for Imo West Senatorial District, also known as Orlu Zone.
The allegations remain subject to judicial determination, and the issuance of the warrants does not amount to a conviction.
INEC Petitions Police, DSS Over Alleged Forged APC Primary Results
The reported court action follows a petition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which rejected a document circulating in Okorocha’s name that allegedly presented him as the winner of the APC senatorial primary election in Imo State.
INEC maintained that the authentic result submitted to the Commission by the APC showed that Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma won the party’s primary election for the Imo West Senatorial District.
According to the electoral body, the party duly forwarded Uzodimma’s name to INEC as its candidate for the senatorial zone.
The Commission reportedly raised concerns after a different document began circulating on social media, purportedly identifying Okorocha as the winner of the same primary election.
In a letter dated October 8, 2026, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, and the Department of State Services (DSS), the Commission requested an investigation into the disputed document.
The letter was signed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Imo State, Chukwuemeka Ibeziako.
INEC described the matter as a case of a “fraudulent and fictitious All Progressives Congress senatorial party primary report for Imo State dated 18th May, 2026.”
The electoral commission alleged that the document being circulated contradicted the original result submitted by the APC, which identified Uzodimma as the winner of the primary election.
“The fictitious document wrongly presented Senator Ethelbert Rochas Okorocha as the elected candidate for the party,” INEC stated.
INEC Submits Documents for Investigation
As part of its petition, INEC reportedly forwarded copies of the original APC primary election result and the disputed document to the police and the DSS.
The Commission urged both security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged forgery and establish the circumstances surrounding the circulation of the document.
The petition has brought renewed attention to the dispute over the APC’s senatorial nomination process in Imo State, particularly the contest for the Imo West Senatorial District.
While the original document submitted by the APC reportedly named Uzodimma as the winner, the disputed report allegedly portrayed Okorocha as the successful aspirant.
The police and the DSS are expected to investigate the allegations raised in the petition, while the reported bench warrants direct the defendants to be brought before the court.
What Happens Next?
The reported warrants place Okorocha, Araraume and the two other named individuals at the centre of a legal dispute involving alleged criminal conspiracy, forgery and the use of false documents.
The next steps will depend on the execution of the warrants and further proceedings before the Abuja magistrate court.
The allegations against the defendants have not, by themselves, established criminal liability. Any determination of guilt will depend on the evidence presented and the outcome of the judicial process.
The case also highlights the importance of authentic party primary election records in determining candidates submitted to INEC for elections.
Note: The reported warrants are dated September 9, 2026, while the INEC petition is dated October 8, 2026. The details should be independently verified against the court documents and INEC’s letter before publication.