[7] Ten months later, on 14 January 2020, the Supreme Court of Nigeria reached a unanimous decision that the election results had been tampered with by the fact that the hundreds of thousands of votes, from a shocking 388 polling stations, had not been included; the Court immediately voided Ihedioha's supposed election and confirmed that Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress party – originally shown in fourth place – was the top vote-getter and true Governor of IMO State.

Former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha emerged winner with 1,723 delegate votes defeating closest rival, Samuel Anyanwu, Senator representing Imo East with 1,282 votes.

[23] Two of the ten contestants, Uche Nwosu and Hope Uzodinma, were declared winners, consecutively, leading to a state of confusion.

The APC governorship primaries in Imo State was thereupon suspended from the party's national headquarters, with no reason given.

The results were not, however, accepted by a coalition of aspirants called the Imo Allied forces,[27] headed by Senator Hope Uzodinma and Eze Madumere, who claimed they were excluded from the process, even though the electoral chairman said, as he announced the results that all nine governorship aspirants were part of the process.

[29] Five of the aspirants later in October 2018 gave support to Uzodinma as being the winner,[30] alongside a court ruling which went in his favor.

[31][32][33][34] Uche Nwosu later in December 2018 dumped APC and went ahead to become AA's gubernatorial candidate for the state,[35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] but not without having to contend in a legal battle with Myke Ikoku, the party's earlier nominee for the race, and other issues.

Acho Ihim, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Imo State, who led a mass deflection alongside 17 others into the party,[47][48] became his running mate.

[49][50] A total of 70 candidates registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission to contest in the election.

The Supreme Court in Nwosu v APC dismissed the appeal with Justice Amina Augie upholding the findings of both the trial court and the Court of Appeal with respect to the fact that Ugwumba Uche Nwosu was in fact the nominated Imo State Governorship Candidate of the Action Alliance [AA] and the All Progressives Congress [APC] contrary to Section 37 of the Electoral Act 2010 [as amended] and sustained his [Ugwumba Uche Nwosu] disqualification from contesting the Imo State Governorship election.

After an unusual 3 year delay and barring any further unforeseen circumstances, the Supreme Court announced that it will hear the motion of the Peoples Democratic Party and Action Peoples Party respectively, seeking to enforce its judgment that APC did not field any candidate following the disqualification of its duly nominated candidate, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu on 31st October 2023.