The Federal High Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has issued an ex parte order halting the state congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled to hold on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
The presiding judge, Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke, restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC from proceeding with the congress following an application filed by aggrieved members of the party.
The party had earlier announced plans to conduct its state congress on March 3. In a statement signed by the state publicity secretary, Alex Kalejaye, the APC confirmed that the exercise was scheduled “in line with the directive of the National Working Committee (NWC).”
According to Kalejaye, the congress was being organised in accordance with the party’s constitution and guidelines for nationwide congresses, extending invitations to statutory delegates, stakeholders, and party leaders across the state.
However, the court’s order came as a result of a motion ex parte moved by Adedayo Adedeji, SAN, on behalf of a group of aggrieved party members led by Lawrence Adebayo and 7,427 others.
The applicants challenged the legitimacy of the recent ward and local government congresses conducted on February 18 and 21, 2026, and sought to prevent the state congress from being held.
In her ruling on the motion, which was accompanied by an affidavit of extreme urgency, Justice Adegoke granted an interim injunction restraining INEC and the APC from recognising or validating the previous ward and local government congresses.
Also, the court restrained the APC and its officers from conducting or proceeding with any state congress in Ondo State on March 3 or any other date until the motion on notice is heard.
Justice Adegoke ruled that an order of interim injunction restraining the INEC and APC acting through its officers, agents, assigns, successors-in-title, representatives, and all persons claiming through or under it from acknowledging, accepting, recognising, giving effect to, or in any manner whatsoever validating the purported Ward and Local Government Congresses purportedly conducted by the 2nd Respondent on the 18th and 21st of February 2026 in Ondo State, and the proposed State Congress of the 2nd Respondent scheduled for the 3rd of March 2026 or any other date it may hold, pending the hearing and final determination of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.”
Justice Adegoke also directed all parties “to maintain the status quo ante bellum before the conduct of the purported Ward and Local Government Congresses conducted on the 18th and 21st of February 2026 and the proposed State Congress scheduled for the 3rd of March 2026”.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case to March 26, 2026, for the hearing of the substantive suit.
