The Federal High Court sitting in Akure on Monday restrained the All Progressives Congress (APC) from conducting its planned State Congress in Ondo State following a legal challenge by aggrieved party members.
In an interim order delivered on Monday, Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke barred both the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or validating the party’s Ward and Local Government congresses allegedly held on 18 and 21 February 2026, respectively.
The suit, marked FHC/AK/CS/25/2026, was filed by Lawrence Oladimeji Adebayo and eight other applicants on behalf of themselves and 7,427 members of the APC in Ondo State who claimed they were excluded from the congresses.
The applicants approached the court through an ex parte motion, alleging breaches of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, as well as the APC’s constitution and guidelines regulating party congresses.
Ruling on the application, Justice Adegoke granted an interim injunction restraining INEC, its officers and representatives from acknowledging or giving effect to the disputed Ward and Local Government congresses, as well as the proposed State Congress scheduled for 3 March 2026, pending the determination of a motion on notice.
The court also ordered the APC, its officials, agents and privies not to conduct or proceed with any State Congress in Ondo State until the substantive application for interlocutory injunction is heard and determined.
In addition, the judge directed both respondents to maintain the status quo ante bellum — the situation that existed before the conduct of the contested congresses — and to refrain from taking further steps that could prejudice the court proceedings.
The order followed arguments by counsel to the applicants, led by Adedayo Adedeji (SAN), alongside Mustapha I. Abubakar (SAN) and other legal representatives, who urged the court to intervene on grounds of extreme urgency.
In her ruling on the ex parte motion, accompanied by an affidavit of extreme urgency, Justice Adegoke granted “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.”
The court also granted “An order of interim injunction restraining the APC, its officers, agents, servants, privies, assigns, successors-in-title, representatives, and all persons claiming through or under it from conducting, holding, proceeding with, or concluding any State Congress in Ondo State on the 3rd of March 2026 or any other date pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.”
Furthermore, the court granted an order of interim injunction directing “the respondents 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 and not to do any act or take any further steps to prejudice the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.”
Justice Adegoke further ordered that the interim injunction, motion on notice and originating summons be served immediately on the respondents.
The case is expected to determine the legality of the APC congresses in Ondo State and could significantly impact the party’s internal leadership structure pending the court’s final decision.
The court fixed 26 March for the hearing of the substantive suit.
It will be recalled that the APC, in a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Mr Alex Kalejaye, announced that the party had fixed 3 March for its State Congress in line with the directive of the National Working Committee (NWC).
Kalejaye had stated, “In line with the constitution and guidelines for the conduct of nationwide congresses, and as approved by the National Working Committee of our party, the Ondo State chapter cordially invites statutory delegates, critical stakeholders, and party leaders to the State Congress of Ondo State APC.”
Although it could not be independently confirmed whether Governor Aiyedatiwa’s sudden departure for Abuja was connected to the legal standoff, he was reportedly summoned to Abuja by the APC National Working Committee on the orders of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday.
A source within the NWC said the governor’s summons to the national headquarters of the party was not unconnected with his alleged refusal to bring stakeholders on board ahead of the now-aborted State Congress.
The source said, “It will be recalled that he was invited by the President to brief him on the state of affairs of the party, especially following the violent Ward Congress in some local government areas of the state.
“He is here again because he defied the wise counsel of the Presidency as well as the NWC to dialogue with all stakeholders and possibly harmonise interests. The governor blatantly refused, and here we are now.”